THE 


■ AUTOBIOGRAPHY 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN 

* f7-6"? 


NEW  YORK 

THE  MERSHON  COMPANY 


PUBLISHERS 


?) 

Pit'  REMOTE  STORAGE 

/(f?" 

INTKODUCTION. 


1 


Benjamin^banklin’s  Autobiography  ends  with  th« 
year  1757,  when  he  was  sent  to  England  as  repre- 
sentative of  the  Assembly  of  Philadelphia.  His  ser- 
vices were  found  to  be  so  valuable  that  he  was 
appointed  agent  also  for  the  States  of  Massachusetts, 
Maryland,  and  Georgia.  The  Royal  Society  of 
England  not  only  made  him  one  of  its  Fellows,  in  the 
manner  described  on  page  180  of  this  volume,  but  also 
awarded  to  him  a gold  medal.  He  received  honorary 
Doctorates  from  the  Universities  of  Oxford,  Edin- 
burgh, and  St.  Andrews ; and  he  was  made  an 
Associate  of  the  Academy  of  Paris.  Having  returned 
to  America  in  1762,  he  was  again  sent  to  England  to 
assist  in  labouring  to  avert  war  between  the  mother 
country  and  the  transatlantic  colonies.  After  strenu- 
ous efforts,  that  were  made  in  vain,  Franklin  returned 
to  Philadelphia  in  1775,  and  was  thenceforth  active 
among  those  leaders  of  opinion  who  secured  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  of  the  thirteen  United 
States  on  the  4th  of  July,  1776.  Franklin  then  went 
to  Paris  as  minister  for  the  United  States  of  Amerioa. 


4 


nrrRODucTioir. 


In  Paris  he  secured  the  aid  of  France  in  the  eomhi|f 
struggle.  When  the  struggle  ended  with  the  signing 
of  a treaty  of  peace  that  conceded  independence, 
Franklin,  then  seventy-six  years  old,  signed  for  the 
United  States  the  treaty  which  he  had  assisted  in 
negotiating.  Three  years  later  he  went  back  to 
America,  where  he  took  part  in  the  revision  of  the 
Articles  of  Union.  He  died  full  of  years  and  honours 
on  the  17th  of  April,  1790,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four. 

After  his  death  a general  mourning  for  two  months 
was  ordered  by  Congress,  as  a tribute  to  the  memory  of 
one  of  the  best  and  wisest  of  those  who  had  assisted  is 
the  forming  of  the  thirteen  States  into  a nation. 

SL  1L 


THE 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

OF 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


OHAPTEB  L 

1 HATB  ever  had  a pleasure  in  obtaining  any  little  aneo- 
dotea  of  my  ancestors.  You  may  remember  the  inquiries  I 
made  among  the  remains  of  my  relations  when  you  were 
with  me  in  England,  and  the  journey  I undertook  for  that 
purpose.  Imagining  it  may  be  equally  agreeable  to  you  to 
learn  the  circumstances  of  my  life,  many  of  which  you  are 
unacq minted  with  ; and  expecting  the  enjoyment  of  a few 
weeks*  uninterrupted  leisure,  I sit  down  to  write  them. 
Besides,  there  are  some  other  inducements  that  excite  me 
to  this  undertaking.  From  the  poverty  and  obscurity  in 
which  I was  bom,  and  in  which  I passed  my  earliest  years, 
I have  raised  myself  to  a state  of  affluence  and  some  degree 
of  celebrity  in  the  world.  As  constant  good  fortune  has 
accompanied  me  even  to  an  advanced  period  of  life,  my  pos- 
terity will  perhaps  be  desirous  of  learning  the  means  which 
I employed,  and  which,  thanks  to  Providence,  so  well 
•ucceeded  with  me.  They  may  also  deem  them  fit  to  bo 
imitated,  should  any  of  them  find  themselves  in  aiTnilAy 
circumstances. 


BBNJAMIK  FBANKUSf* 


This  good  fortune,  when  I reflect  on  it  (which  k 
quently  the  case),  has  induced  me  sometimes  to  say,  that  if 
it  were  left  to  my  choice,  I should  have  no  objection  to  go 
over  the  same  life  from  its  beginning  to  the  end ; requesting 
only  the  advantage  authors  have  of  correcting  in  a second 
edition  the  faults  of  the  first.  So  would  I also  wish  to 
change  some  incidents  of  it,  for  others  more  favourable. 
Notwithstanding,  if  this  condition  was  denied,  I should  still 
accept  the  of^r  of  recommencing  the  same  life.  But  as 
this  repetition  is  not  to  be  expected,  that  which  resembles 
most  living  one’s  life  over  again,  seems  to  be  to  recall  all 
the  circumstances  of  it,  and,  to  render  this  remembrance 
mere  durable,  to  record  them  in  writing. 

In  thus  employing  myself,  I shall  yield  to  the  inclination 
so  natural  to  old  men,  of  talking  of  themselves  and  their 
own  actions  ; and  I shall  indulge  it  without  being  tiresome 
to  those  who,  from  respect  to  my  age,  might  conceive  them- 
selves obliged  to  listen  to  me,  since  they  will  be  always  free 
to  read  me  or  not.  And,  lastly  (I  may  as  well  confess  it,  as 
the  denial  of  it  would  be  believed  by  nobody),  I shall,  per- 
haps, not  a little  gratify  my  own  vanity.  Indeed,  I never 
heard  or  saw  the  introductory  words,  “ Without  vanity  I 
may  say,”  &c.,  but  some  vain  thing  immediately  followed. 
Most  people  dislike  vanity  in  others,  whatever  share  they 
have  of  it  themselves ; but  I give  it  fair  quarter  wherever  I 
meet  with  it,  being  persuaded  that  it  is  often  productive  of 
good  to  the  possessor,  and  to  others  who  are  within  his 
sphere  of  action ; and  therefore,  in  many  cases,  it  would  not 
be  altogether  absurd,  if  a man  were  to  thank  God  for  his 
vanity  among  the  other  comforts  of  life. 

^ And  now  I speak  of  thanking  God,  I desire,  with  all 
to  ac^owledge  that  I attribute  the  mentioned 
happiness  of  my  past  life  to  His  divine  providence,  which 
led  me  to  the  means  I used,  and  gave  the  success.  My 


SlSBJrJLlLinf  FBANKMIS. 


» 


belief  of  this  induces  me  to  hope^  though  I must  net  pr$9um$ 
that  the  same  goodness  will  still  be  exercised  towards  me  m 
continuing  that  happiness,  or  enabling  me  to  bear  a &tal 
reverse,  which  I may  experience  as  others  have  done ; the 
complexion  of  my  future  fortune  being  known  to  Him  only 
in  whose  power  it  is  to  bless  us,  even  in  our  afflictions. 

Some  notes,  which  one  of  my  uncles,  who  had  the  same 
curiosity  in  coUectiug  family  anecdotes,  once  put  into  my 
hands,  furnished  me  with  several  particulars  relative  to  our 
ancestors.  From  these  notes  I learned  that  they  lived  in 
the  same  village,  Ecton,  in  Northamptonshire,  on  a freehold 
of  about  thirty  acres,  for  at  least  three  hundred  years,  and 
how  much  longer  could  not  be  ascertained. 

This  small  estate  would  not  have  sufficed  for  their  main- 
tenance without  the  business  of  a smith,  which  had  continued 
in  the  family  down  to  my  uncle’s  time,  the  eldest  son  being 
always  brought  up  to  that  employment ; a custom  which  he 
and  my  father  followed  with  regard  to  their  eldest  sons. 
When  I searched  the  registers  at  Ecton,  I found  an  account 
of  their  marriages  and  burials  from  the  year  1555  only,  as 
the  registers  kept  did  not  commence  previous  thereto.  I, 
however,  learned  from  it  that  I was  the  youngest  son  of 
the  youngest  son  for  five  generations  back.  My  grand- 
father, Thomas,  who  was  bom  in  1598,  lived  at  Ecton  till 
he  was  too  old  to  continue  his  business,  when  he  retired  to 
Banbury,  in  Oxfordshire,  to  the  house  of  his  son  John, 
with  whom  my  father  served  an  apprenticeship.  There  my 
uncle  died,  and  lies  buried.  We  saw  his  gravestone  in 
1758.  His  eldest  son  Thomas  lived  in  the  house  at  Ecton, 
and  left  it,  with  the  land,  to  his  only  daughter,  who,  with 
her  husband,  one  Fisher,  of  Wellingborough,  sold  it  to  Mr. 
Isted,  now  lord  of  the  manor  there.  My  grandfather  had 
four  sons,  who  grew  up  : viz.,  Thomas,  John,  Benjamin, 
and  Josiah.  Being  at  a distance  from  my  papers,  I will 


8 


BBKJjLMIIf  FBANKLIir. 


give  you  what  account  I can  of  them  from  memory ; ani  If 
my  papers  are  not  lost  in  my  absence,  you  will  find  among 
them  many  more  particulars. 

Thomas,  my  eldest  uncle,  was  bred  a smith  under  his 
father,  but  being  ingenious,  and  encouraged  in  learning,  as 
all  his  brothers  were,  by  an  Esquire  Palmer,  then  the  prin- 
cipal  inharbitant  of  that  parish,  he  qualified  himself  for  the 
bar,  and  became  a considerable  man  in  the  county ; was 
chief  mover  of  all  public-spirited  enterprises  for  the  county 
or  town  of  Northampton,  as  well  as  of  his  own  village,  of 
which  many  instances  were  related  of  him ; and  he  was 
much  taken  notice  of  and  patronised  by  Lord  Halifax.  He 
died  in  1702,  the  6th  of  January,  four  years,  to  a day,  before 
I was  bom.  The  recital  which  some  elderly  persons 
made  to  us  of  his  character,  I r^ember  struck  you  as 
something  extraordinary,  from  its  similarity  with  what 
you  knew  of  me.  « Had  he  died,  ” said  you,  » four  years 
later,  on  the  same  day,  one  might  liave  supposed  a trans^ 
migration.” 

John,  my  next  uncle,  was  bred  a dyer,  I believe  of  wool 
Benjamin  was  bred  a silk  dyer,  serving  an  apprenticeship 
in  London.  He  was  an  ingenious  man.  I remember,  when 
I was  a boy,  he  came  to  my  father’s  in  Boston,  and  resided 
in  the  house  with  us  for  several  years.  There  was  always 
a particular  affection  between  my  father  and  him,  and  I 
was  his  godson.  He  lived  to  a great  age.  He  left  behind 
him  two  quarto  volumes  of  manuscript,  of  his  own  poetry, 
consisting  of  fugitive  pieces,  addressed  to  his  friends.  Hs 
had  invented  a short-hand  of  his  own,  which  he  taught 
me ; but,  not  having  practised  it,  I have  now  forgotten  it. 
He  was  very  pious,  and  an  assiduous  att^dant  at  the  ser- 
mons of  the  beet  preachers,  which  he  reduced  to  writing 
according  to  his  method,  and  had  thus  collected  several 
volumes  of  them. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


9 


He  wm  also  a good  deal  of  a politician ; too  mnch  so, 
perhaps,  for  his  station.  There  fell  lately  into  my  hands, 
in  London,  a collection  he  had  made  of  aU  the  principal 
political  pamphlets  relating  to  public  affairs,  from  the  year 
1641  to  1717.  Many  of  the  volumes  are  wanting,  as  ap- 
pears by  their  numbering ; but  there  still  remain  eight 
volumes  in  foUo,  and  twenty  in  quarto  and  in  octavo.  A 
dealer  in  old  books  had  met  with  them,  and,  knowing  me 
by  name,  having  bought  books  of  him,  he  brought  them  to 
me.  It  would  appear  that  my  uncle  must  have  left  them 
here,  when  he  went  to  America,  which  was  about  fifty  years 
tgo.  I found  several  of  his  notes  in  the  margins.  His 
grandson,  Samuel  Franklin,  is  still  living  in  Boston. 

Our  humble  family  early  embraced  the  reformed  religion. 
Our  forefathers  continued  Protestants  through  the  reign  of 
Mary,  when  they  were  sometimes  in  danger  of  persecution, 
on  account  of  their  zeal  against  popery.  They  had  an  Eng- 
lish Bible,  and  to  conceal  it  and  place  it  in  safety,  it  was 
fastened  open  with  tapes,  under  and  within  the  cover  of  a 
joint  stool.  When  my  great-grandfather  wished  to  read  it 
to  his  family,  he  placed  the  joint  stool  on  his  knees,  and  then 
turned  over  the  leaves  under  the  tapes.  One  of  the  children 
stood  at  the  door  to  give  notice  if  he  saw  the  apparitor 
coming,  who  was  an  officer  of  the  spiritual  court.  In  that 
case  the  stool  was  turned  down  again  upon  its  feet,  when  the 
Bible  remained  concealed  under  it  as  before.  This  anecdote 
I had  from  uncle  Benjamin.  The  family  continued  aU  of 
the  Church  of  England  till  about  the  end  of  Charles  the 
Second's  reign,  when  some  of  the  ministers  that  had  been 
ousted  for  their  non-conformity,  holding  conventicles  in 
Northamptonshire,  my  uncle  Benjamin  and  my  father 
Josiah  adhered  to  them,  and  so  continued  aU  their  lives. 
The  rest  of  the  family  remained  with  the  Episoopftl 
Church. 


$ 

10  BENJi^MlN  FRANKLIN. 

My  father  married  young,  and  carried  his  wife,  with  thre# 
children,  to  New  England,  about  1685.  The  conventioles 
being  at  that  time  forbidden  by  law,  and  frequently  disturbed 
in  the  meetings,  some  considerable  men  of  his  acquaint- 
ances determined  to  go  to  that  country,  and  he  was  prevailed 
with  to  accompany  them  thither,  where  they  expected  to 
enjoy  the  exercise  of  their  religion  with  freedom.  By  the 
same  wife  my  father  had  four  children  more  bom  there,  and 
by  a second,  ten  others, — in  all  seventeen ; of  whom  I re- 
member to  have  seen  thirteen  sitting  together  at  his  table ; 
who  all  grew  up  to  years  of  maturity,  and  were  married.  I 
was  the  youngest  son,  and  the  youngest  of  all  the  children 
except  two  daughters.  I was  bom  in  Boston,  in  New  Eng- 
land. My  mother,  the  second  wife  of  my  father,  was  Abiah 
Folger,  daughter  of  Peter  Folger,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 
New  England ; of  whom  honourable  mention  is  made  by 
Cotton  Mather,  in  his  ecclesiastical  history  of  that  coun- 
try, entitled  Magnalia  Christi  Americana,  as  ‘‘  a godly  and 
learned  Englishman,”  if  I remember  the  words  rightly.  I 
was  informed  he  wrote  several  small  occasional  works,  but 
only  one  of  them  was  printed,  which  I remember  to  have 
seen  several  years  since.  It  was  written  in  1675.  It  was  in 
familiar  verse,  according  to  the  taste  of  the  times  and  people ; 
and  addressed  to  the  government  there.  It  asserts  the  liberty 
of  conscience  in  behalf  of  the  Anabal)tists,  the  Quakers,  and 
other  sectaries,  that  had  been  persecuted.  He  attributes  to 
this  persecution  the  Indian  Wars,  and  other  calamities  that 
had  befallen  the  country;  regarding  them  as  so  many 
judgments  of  God  to  punish  so  heinous  an  ofience,  and 
exhorting  the  repeal  of  those  laws,  so  contrary  to  charity. 
This  piece  appeared  to  me  as  written  with  manly  freedom, 
and  a pleasing  simplicity.  The  six  lines  I remember,  but 
have  forgotten  the  preceding  ones  of  the  stanza;  the 
purport  of  them  was,  that  his  oensures  proceeded  from 


BENJAMIN  FBANELIN. 


11 


food  will,  ftnd  therefore  he  would  be  known  to  bo  tho 
ftuthor: — 

**  Because  to  be  a libeller 
I hate  it  with  myiheart. 

From  Sherbon  Town*  where  now  I dwell. 

My  name  I do  put  here ; 

Without  offence  your  real  friend,  • 

It  is  Peter  Folger.*' 

My  elder  brothers  were  all  put  apprentices  to  different 
trades.  I was  put  to  the  grammar  school  at  eight  years  of 
age ; my  father  intending  to  devote  me,  as  the  tithe  of  his 
sens,  to  the  service  of  the  Church.  My  early  readiness  in 
learning  to  read,^^wl  ich  must  have  been  very  early,  as  I do 
not  remember  when  I could  not  read,  and  the  opinion  of  all 
his  friends  that  I should  certainly  make  a good  scholar, 
encouraged  him  in  this  purpose  of  his.  My  uncle  Benjamin, 
too,  approved  of  it,  and  proposed  to  give  me  his  short-hand 
volumes  of  sermons,  to  set  up  with,  if  1 would  learn  his 
short-hand.  1 continued,  however,  at  the  grammar  school 
rather  less  than  a year,  though  in  that  time  I had  risen 
gradually  from  the  middle  of  the  class  of  that  year  to  be  at 
the  head  of  the  same  class,  and  was  removed  into  the  next 
class,  whence  I was  to  be  placed  in  the  third  at  the  end  of 
the  year. 

But  my  father,  burdened  with  a numerous  family,  was 
unable,  without  inconyenience,  to  support  the  expense  of  a 
college  education.  Considering,  moreover,  as  he  said  to  one 
of  his  friends,  in  my  presence,  the  little  encouragement  that 
line  of  life  afforded  to  those  educated  for  it,  he  gave  up  his 
first  intentions,  took  me  from  t'he  grammar  school,  and  sent 
me  to  a school  for  writing  and  arithmetic,  kept  by  a then 
famous  man,  Mr.  George  Brown  well.  He  was  a skilful  mas- 
ter, and  successful  in  his  profession,  employing  the  mildest 

* In  the  island  of  Nantucket. 


12 


BENJAMIN  FBANKLIN. 


•nd  most  encouraging  methods.  Under  him  I leamel 
to  write  a good  hand  pretty  soon  \ but  I failed  entirely  in 
arithmetia  At  ten  years  old  I was  taken  to  help  my  father 
in  his  business,  which  was  that  of  a tallow-chandler  and  soap- 
boiler i a business  to  which  he  was  not  bred,  but  had  assumed 
on  his  arrival  in  New  England,  because  he  found  that  his 
dyeing  trade,  being  in  little  request,  would  not  maintain  hU 
family.  Accordingly,  I was  employed  in  cutting  wicks  for 
the  candles,  filling  the  moulds  for  cast  candles,  attending 
the  shop,  going  of  errands,  &c. 

I disliked  the  trade,  and  had  a strong  inclination  to  go  to 
sea ; but  my  father  declared  against  it.  But,  residing  near 
the  water,  I was  much  in  it  and  on  it.  I learned  to  swim 
well  and  to  manage  boats ; and,  when  embarked  with  other 
boys,  I was  commonly  allowed  to  govern,  especially  in  any 
case  of  difficulty;  and  upon  other  occasions  I was  generally  the 
leader  among  the  boys,  and  sometimes  led  them  into  scrapes, 
of  which  I wiU  mention  one  instance,  as  it  shows  an  early 
projecting  public  spirit,  though  not  then  justly  condurt.-d. 
There  was  a salt  marsh,  which  bounded  part  of  the  millpond 
on  the  edge  of  which,  at  high  water,  we  used  to  stand  to  fish 
for  minnows.  By  much  trampling  we  had  made  it  a mere 
quagmire.  My  proposal  was  to  build  a wharf  there  for  us  to 
stand  upon,  and  I showed  my  comrades  a large  heap  of 
stones  which  were  intended  for  a new  house  near  the  marsh, 
and  which  would  very  well  suit  our  purpose.  Accordingly 
in  the  evening,  when  the  workmen  were  gone  home,  I 
assembled  a number  of  my  playfellows,  and  we  worked 
diligently  like  so  many  emmets,  sometimes  two  or  three  to  a 
stone,  till  we  brought  them  all  to  make  our  little  wharf. 
The  next  morning  the  workmen  were  surprised  at  missing 
the  stones,  which  had  formed  our  wharf.  Inquiry  was 
made  after  the  authors  of  this  transfer ; we  were  discovered, 
oomplained  of,  and  corrected  by  our  fathers ; and  though  I 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


IS 


demonstrated  the  utility  of  our  work,  mine  convinced 
me,  that  that  which  was  not  honest  could  not  be  truly 
useful. 

I suppose  you  may  like  to  know  what  kind  of  a man  my 
father  was.  He  had  an  excellent  constitution,  was  of  a middle 
stature,  well  set,  and  very  strong.  He  could  draw  prettily, 
and  was  skilled  a little  in  music.  His  voice  was  sonorous 
and  agreeable,  so  that  when  he  played  on  his  violin  and  sung 
withal,  as  he  was  accustomed  to  do  after  the  business  of  the 
day  was  over,  it  was  extremely  agreeable  to  hear.  He  had 
some  knowledge  of  mechanics,  and  on  occasion  was  very 
handy  with  other  tradesmen’s  tools.  But  his  great  excellence 
was  his  sound  understanding,  and  his  solid  judgment  in 
prudential  matters,  both  in  private  and  public  affairs.  It  is 
true  he  was  never  employed  in  the  latter,  the  numerous 
family  he  had  to  educate,  and  the  straitness  of  his  circum- 
stances, keeping  him  close  to  his  trade,  but  I remember  well 
his  being  frequently  visited  by  leading  men,  who  consulted 
him  for  his  opinion  in  public  affairs,  and  those  of  the  church 
he  belonged  to ; and  who  showed  a great  respect  for  his 
judgment  and  advice. 

He  was  also  much  consulted  by  private  persons  about  their 
affairs,  when  any  difficulty  occurred,  and  frequently  chosen 
an  arbitrator  between  contending  parties.  At  his  table  he 
liked  to  have,  as  often  as  he  could,  some  sensible  friend  or 
neighbour  to  converse  with,  and  always  took  care  to  start 
some  ingenious  or  useful  topic  for  discourse,  which  might 
tend  to  improve  the  minds  of  his  children.  By  this  means 
he  turned  our  attention  to  what  was  good,  j ust,  and  prudent, 
in  the  conduct  of  life,  and  little  or  no  notice  was  ever  taken 
of  what  related  to  the  victuals  on  the  table ; whether  it  was 
well  or  ill  dressed,  in  or  out  of  season,  of  good  or  bad 
flavour,  preferable  or  inferior  to  this  or  that  other  thing  of 
the  kind ; so  that  I was  brought  up  in  such  a perfect  in- 


14 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


attention  to  those  matters  as  to  be  quite  indifferent  what 
kind  of  food  was  set  before  me.  Indeed,  I am  so  unobservant 
of  it,  that  to  this  day  I can  scarce  teU  a few  hours  after 
dinner  of  what  dishes  it  consisted.  This  has  been  a great 
convenience  to  me  in  travelling,  where  my  companions  have 
been  sometimes  very  unhappy  for  want  of  a suitable  grati- 
fication of  their  more  delicate,  because  better  instructed, 
tastes  and  appetites. 

My  mother  had  likewise  an  excellent  constitution ; she 
suckled  all  her  ten  children.  1 never  knew  either  my 
father  or  mother  to  have  any  sickness  but  that  of  which 
they  died ; he  at  eighty -nine,  and  she  at  eighty-five  years 
of  age.  They  lie  buried  together  at  Boston,  where  I some 
years  since  placed  a marble  over  their  grave,  with  this 
inscription : 

JOSIAH  FRANKLIN 
and 

ABIAH  his  wife, 

Lie  here  interred. 

They  lived  lovingly  together  in  wedlock. 

Fifty-five  years; 

And  without  an  estate  or  any  gainful  employment, 

By  constant  labour,  and  honest  industry, 

(With  God’s  blessing,) 

Maintained  a large  family  comfortably  j 
And  brought  up  thirteen  children  and  seven  grandohildVM 
Reputably. 

From  this  instance,  Reader, 

Be  encouraged  to  diligence  in  thy  calling. 

And  distrust  not  Providence. 

He  was  a pious  and  prudent  man. 

She  a discreet  and  virtuous  woman. 

Their  youngest  son, 

In  filial  regard  to  their  memory. 

Places  this  stone. 

J.  F.  bom  1655 ; died  1744.  JBLBk 
A.  F.  bom  1667j  died  1752.  m,  8A 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


15 


By  my  rambling  digressions,  I perceive  myself  to  bo 
grown  old.  I used  to  write  more  methodically.  But  one 
does  not  dress  for  private  company,  as  for  a public  baU. 
Perhaps  it  is  only  negligence. 

To  return : I continued  thus  employed  in  my  father’i 
business  for  two  years,  that  is,  till  I was  twelve  years  old ; 
and  my  brother  John,  who  was  bred  to  that  business, 
having  left  my  father,  married,  and  set  up  for  himself  at 
Khode  Island,  there  was  every  appearance  that  I was 
destined  to  supply  his  place,  and  become  a tallow-chandler. 
But  my  dislike  to  the  trade  continuing,  my  father  had 
apprehensions  that,  if  he  did  not  put  me  to  one  more 
agi'eeable,  I should  break  loose  and  go  to  sea,  as  my 
brother  Josiah  had  done,  to  his  great  vexation.  In  conse- 
quence, he  took  me  to  walk  with  him  and  see  joiners,  brick- 
layers, turners,  braziers,  &c.,  at  their  work,  that  he  might 
observe  my  inclination,  and  endeavour  to  fix  it  on  some 
trade  or  profession  that  would  keep  me  on  land.  It  has 
ever  since  been  a pleasure  to  me  to  see  good  workmen 
handle  their  tools.  And  it  has  been  often  useful  to  me, 
to  have  learned  so  much  by  it,  as  to  be  able  to  do  some 
trifling  jobs  in  the  house,  when  a workman  was  not  at 
hand,  and  to  construct  little  machines  for  my  experiments, 
at  the  moment  when  the  intention  of  making  these  was 
warm  in  my  mind.  My  father  determined  at  last  for  the 
cutler’s  trade,  and  placed  me  for  some  days  on  trial  with 
Samuel,  son  to  my  uncle  Benjamin,  who  was  bred  to  that 
trade  in  London,  and  had  just  established  himself  in 
Boston.  But  the  sum  he  exacted  as  a fee  for  my  ap- 
prenticeship displeased  my  father,  and  I was  taken  home 
again. 

From  my  infancy  I was  passionately  fond  of  reading, 
and  all  the  money  that  came  into  my  hands  was  laid  out  in 
the  purchasing  of  books.  I was  very  fond  of  voyages. 


16 


BENJAMIN  FEANB3JN. 


My  first  acquisition  was  Bunyan’s  works  in  separate  KttW 
volumes;  I afterwards  sold  them  to  enable  me  to  buy  R, 
Burton’s  Historical  ColUctions.  They  were  small  chapmen’f' 
books,*  and  cheap ; forty  volumes  in  all.  My  father’s  little 
library  consisted  chiefly  of  books  in  polemic  divinity, 
most  of  which  I read.  I have  often  regretted  that,  at  a 
time  when  I had  such  a thirst  for  knowledge,  more  proper 
books  had  not  fallen  in  my  way,  since  it  was  resolved  I 
should  not  be  bred  to  divinity.  There  was  among  them 
Plutarch’s  Lives^  which  I read  abundantly,  and  I still  f.hink 
that  time  spent  to  great  advantage.  There  was  also  a 
book  of  Defoe’s,  called  An  Essay  on  Projects,  and  another  of 
Dr.  Mather’s,  caUed  An  Essay  to  do  Good,  which  perhaps 
gave  me  a turn  of  thinking,  that  had  an  influence  on  some 
of  the  principal  future  events  of  my  life. 

This  bookish  incHnation  at  length  determined  my  father 
to  make  me  a printer,  though  he  had  already  one  son, 
James,  of  that  profession.  In  1717  my  brother  Jamee 
returned  from  England  with  a press  and  letters,  to  set  up 
his  business  in  Boston.  I liked  it  much  better  than  that 
of  my  father,  but  still  had  a hankering  for  the  sea.  To 
prevent  the  apprehended  effect  of  such  an  inclination,  my 
father  was  impatient  to  have  me  bound  to  my  brother.  I 
stood  out  some  time,  but  at  last  was  persuaded,  and  signed 
the  indenture,  when  I was  yet  but  twelve  years  old.  I 
was  to  serve  an  apprenticeship  till  I was  twenty-one  year* 
of  age,  only  I was  to  be  allowed  journeyman’s  wages 
dui-ing  the  last  year.  In  a little  time  I made  a groat 
progress  in  the  business,  and  became  a useful  hand  to  my 

• Commonly  called  “ chap-books,**  a term  applied  to  popular 
•tory  books,  which  in  former  days  used  to  be  hawked  about  bj 
chapmen,  such  aa  Tom  Hickathrift,  Jack  the  Giant  Killer,  &c. 
Burton’s  Histories  were  of  rather  a better  class,  and  comprised 
The  English  Hero,  or,  Sir  Francis  Drake  Eevivod,;  **  « 

Ourioeities,'*  kc,  ko. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


1? 


brother.  I now  had  accces  to  better  books.  An  ac- 
quaintance with  the  apprentices  of  booksellers  enabled  me 
sometimes  to  borrow  a small  one,  which  I was  careful  to 
return  soon,  and  clean.  Often  I sat  up  in  my  chambei 
reading  the  greatest  part  of  the  night,  when  the  book  was 
borrowed  in  the  evening,  and  to  be  returned  in  the  morning, 
lest  it  should  be  found  missing. 

After  some  time  a merchant,  an  ingenious,  sensible  man, 
Mr.  Matthew  Adams,  who  had  a pretty  collection  of  books, 
frequented  our  printing-office,  took  notice  of  me,  and 
invited  me  to  see  his  library,  and  very  kindly  proposed  to 
lend  me  such  books  as  I chose  to  read.  I now  took  a 
slsrong  inclination  for  poetry,  and  wrote  some  little  pieces. 
My  brother,  supposing  it  might  tmn  to  account,  en- 
couraged me,  and  induced  me  to  compose  two  occasienal 
ballads.  One  was  called  The  Light-Eouse  Tragedy^  and  con- 
tained an  account  of  the  shipwreck  of  Captain  Worthilake 
with  his  two  daughters ; the  other  was  a sailor’s  song,  on 
the  taking  of  the  famous  Teach^  or  Blachheard,  the  pirate. 
They  were  wretched  stuff,  in  street-ballad  style ; and  when 
they  were  printed,  my  brother  sent  me  about  the  town  to  sell 
them.  The  first  sold  prodigiously,  the  event  being  recent, 
and  having  made  a great  noise.  This  success  flattered  my 
vanity ; but  my  father  discouraged  me  by  criticising  my 
performances,  and  telling  me  verse-makers  were  generally 
beggars.  Thus  I escaped  being  a poet,  and  probably  a 
very  bad  one ; but,  as  prose  writing  has  been  of  great 
use  to  me  in  the  course  of  my  life,  and  was  a principal 
means  of  my  advancement,  I shall  tell  you  how  in  such  a 
situation  I acquired  what  little  ability  I may  be  supposed 
to  have  in  that  way. 

There  was  another  bookish  lad  in  the  town,  John  Collins 
by  name,  with  whom  I was  intimately  acquainted.  We 
aometiznea  disputed,  and  very  fond  we  were  of  argument, 


18 


BENJAMIN  FBANKLIN. 


and  very  desirous  of  confuting  one  another;  which  dis- 
putatious turn,  by  the  way,  is  apt  to  become  a very  bad 
habit,  making  people  often  extremely  disagreeable  in 
company,  by  the  contradiction  that  is  necessary  to  bring  it 
into  practice  ; and  thence,  besides  souring  and  spoiling  the 
conversation,  it  is  productive  of  disgusts,  and  perhaps 
enmities,  with  those  who  may  have  occasion  for  friendship. 
I had  caught  this  by  reading  my  father^s  books  of  dispute 
I on  religion.  Persons  of  good  sense,  I have  since  observed, 
1 seldom  fall  into  it,  except  lawyers,  university  men,  and  gene- 
\ rally  men  of  all  sorts  who  have  been  bred  at  Edinburgh. 

A question  was  once,  somehow  or  other,  started  between 
Collins  and  me,  on  the  propriety  of  educating  the  female 
sex  in  learning,  and  their  abilities  for  study.  He  was  of 
opinion  that  it  was  improper,  and  that  they  were  naturally 
unequal  to  it.  I took  the  contrary  side,  perhaps  a little  for 
dispute’s  sake.  He  was  naturally  more  eloquent,  having  a 
greater  plenty  of  words,  and  sometimes,  as  I thought,  I was 
vanquished  more  by  his  fluency  than  by  the  strength  of  his 
reasons.  As  we  parted  without  settling  the  point,  and 
were  not  to  see  one  another  again  for  some  time,  I sat  down 
to  put  my  arguments  in  writing,  which  I copied  fair  and 
sent  to  him.  He  answered  and  I replied.  Three  or  four 
letters  on  a side  had  passed,  when  my  father  happened  to 
find  my  papers,  and  read  them.  Without  entering  into  the 
subject  in  dispute,  he  took  occasion  to  talk  to  me  about 
my  manner  of  writing ; observed  that  though  I had  the 
advantage  of  my  antagonist  in  correct  spelling  and  pointing 
(which  he  attributed  to  the  printing-house),  I fell  far  short 
in  elegance  of  expression,  in  method,  and  in  perspicuity,  of 
which  he  convinced  me  by  several  instances.  I saw  the 
justice  of  his  remarks,  and  thence  grew  more  attentive  to 
my  manner  of  writing,  and  determined  to  endeavour  to  im- 
prove my  style. 


BENJAMIN  FBANKIilN. 


About  this  time  I met  with  an  odd  volume  of  the  Speeta^ 
tor,  I had  never  before  seen  any  of  them.  I bought  it, 
read  it  over  and  over,  and  was  much  delighted  with  it.  I 
thought  the  writing  excellent,  and  wished  if  possible  to 
imitate  it.  With  that  view  I took  some  of  the  papers,  and 
making  short  hints  of  the  sentiments  in  each  sentence,  laid 
them  by  a few  days,  and  then,  without  looking  at  the  book, 
tried  to  complete  the  papers  again,  by  expressing  each  hinted 
sentiment  at  length,  and  as  fully  as  it  had  been  expressed 
before,  in  any  suitable  words  that  should  occur  to  me. 
Then  I compared  aiy  Spectator  with  the  original,  discovered 
some  of  my  faults,  and  corrected  them.  But  I found  I 
wanted  a stock  of  words,  or  a readiness  in  recollecting  and 
using  them,  which  I thought  I should  have  acquired  before 
that  time,  if  I had  gone  on  making  verses;  since  the 
continual  search  for  words  of  the  same  import,  but  of 
different  length  to  suit  the  measure,  or  of  different  sound 
for  the  rh^une,  would  have  laid  me  under  a constant  neces- 
sity of  searching  for  variety,  and  also  have  tended  to  fix 
that  variety  in  my  mind,  and  make  me  master  of  it. 
Therefore  I took  some  of  the  tales  in  the  Spectator^  and 
turned  them  into  verse ; and,  after  a time,  when  I had 
pretty  well  forgotten  tho  prose,  turned  them  back  again. 

I also  sometimes  jumbled  my  collection  of  hints  into 
confusion,  and  after  some  weeks  endeavoured  to  reduce 
them  into  the  best  order  before  I began  to  form  the  ful], 
sentences  and  complete  the  subject.  This  was  to  teach  me 
method  in  the  arrangement  of  the  thoughts.  By  comparing 
my  work  with  the  original,  I discovered  many  faults,  and 
corrected  them  ; but  I sometimes  had  the  pleasm'e  to  fancy 
that,  in  certain  particulars  of  small  consequence,  I had  been 
fortunate  enough  to  improve  the  method  or  the  language, 
and^his  encouraged  me  to  think  that  I might  in  time  come 
to  be.a  tolerable  English  writer,  of  which  I was  extremely 


20 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIR. 


ambitioufi.  The  time  I allotted  for  writing  exercises,  and 
for  reading,  was  at  night,  or  before  work  began  in  the 
morning,  or  on  Sundays,  when  I contrived  to  be  in  the 
printing-house,  avoiding  as  much  as  I could  the  constant 
attendance  at  public  worship  which  my  father  used  to 
exact  of  me  when  I was  under  his  care,  and  which  I still 
continued  to  consider  a duty,  though  I could  not  afford  time 
to  practise  it. 

When  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  I happened  to  meet 
with  a book,  written  by  one  Tryon,  recommending  a vege- 
table diet.  I determined  to  go  into  it.  My  brother,  being 
yet  unmarried,  did  not  keep  house,  but  boarded  himself  and 
his  apprentices  in  another  family.  My  refusing  to  eat  flesh 
occasioned  an  inconvenience,  and  I was  frequently  chid  for 
my  singularity.  I made  myself  acquainted  with  Tryon’ s 
manner  of  preparing  some  of  his  dishes,  such  as  boiling 
potatoes  or  rice,  making  hasty  pudding  and  a few  others, 
and  then  proposed  to  my  brother  that  if  he  would  give  me 
weekly  half  the  money  he  paid  for  my  board,  I would  board 
myself.  He  instantly  agreed  to  it,  and  I presently  found 
?hat  I could  save  half  what  he  paid  me.  This  was  an 
additional  fund  for  buying  of  books ; but  I had  another 
advantage  in  it.  My  brother  and  the  rest  going  from  the 
printing-house  to  their  meals,  I remained  there  alone,  and 
despatching  presently  my  light  repast  (which  was  often  no 
more  than  a biscuit,  or  a slice  of  bread,  a handful  of  raisins, 
or  a tart  from  the  pastry-cook’s,  and  a glass  of  water),  had 
the  rest  of  the  time,  till  their  return,  for  study  : in  which  I 
made  the  greater  progress  from  that  greater  clearness  of 
head  and  quicker  apprehension  which  generally  attend  tem- 
perance in  eating  and  drinking.  Now  it  was  that  (being 
on  some  occasion  made  ashamed  of  my  ignorance  in  figures, 
which  I had  twice  failed  learning  when  at  school)  I took 
Oooker’s  book  on  Ar\thm4iie^  and  went  through  the  whole 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


Zi 


by  myself  with  the  greatest  ease.  I also  read  Seller’s  and 
Stumy’s  book  on  Navigation^  which  made  me  acquainted 
with  the  little  geometry  it  contains ; but  I never  proceeded 
far  in  that  science.  I read  about  this  time  Locke  On  Human 
Under  standing  ^ and  The  Art  of  Thinking^  by  Messrs,  de  Port- 
Royal. 

While  I was  intent  on  improving  my  language,  I met 
with  an  English  grammar  (I  think  it  was  Greenwood’s), 
having  at  the  end  of  it  two  little  sketches  on  the  Arts  of 
Rhetoric  and  Logic,  the  latter  finishing  with  a dispute  in 
the  Socratic  method ; and  soon  after  I procured  Xenophon’s 
Memorable  Things  of  Socrates^  wherein  there  are  many  ^ 
examples  of  the  same  method.  I was  charmed  with  it, 
adopted  it,  dropped  my  abrupt  contradictions  and  positive 
argumentation,  and  put  on  the  humble  inquirer.  And 
being  then,  from  reading  Shaftesbury  and  Collins,  made  a 
doubter,  as  I already  was  in  many  points  of  our  religious 
doctrines,  I found  this  method  the  safest  for  myself  and 
very  embarrassing  to  those  against  whom  I used  it ; there- 
fore 1 took  delight  in  it,  practised  it  continually,  and  grew 
very  artful  and  expert  in  drawing  people  even  of  superior 
knowledge  into  concessions,  the  consequences  of  which  they 
did  not  foresee,  entangling  them  in  difficulties  out  of  which 
they  could  not  extricate  themselves,  and  so  obtaining  vic- 
tories that  neither  myself  nor  my  cause  always  deserved. 

I continued  this  method  some  few  years,  but  gradually  ^ 
left  it,  retaining  only  the  habit  of  expressing  myself  in 
terms  of  modest  diffidence,  never  using,  when  I advance  any- 
thing that  may  possibly  be  disputed,  the  words  certainly^ 
tmdouhtedlyy  or  any  others  that  give  the  air  of  positiveness 
to  an  opinion ; but  rather  say  J conceive,  or  apprehend,  a 
t-biTig  to  be  so-and-so ; It  appears  to  me,  or  I should  not  think 
Uf  so^or-80,  for  such-and-such  reasons ; or,  I imagine  it  to  he 
n i or,  It  ii  so,  if  I am  not  mistaken.  This  habit,  1 believe, 


22 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


has  been  of  great  advantage  to  me  when  I have  had  occasion 
to  inculcate  my  opinions,  and  persuade  men  into  measuree 
that  I have  been  from  time  to  time  engaged  in  promoting. 
And  as  the  chief  ends  of  conversation  are  to  inform  or  to 
informed,  to  please  or  to  persuade,  I wish  well-meaning  and 
sensible  men  would  not  lessen  their  power  of  doing  good  by 
a positive  assuming  manner,  that  seldom  fails  to  disgust, 
tends  to  create  opposition,  and  to  defeat  most  of  those 
purposes  for  which  speech  was  given  to  us.  In  fact,  if  you 
wish  to  instruct  others,  a positive  dogmatical  manner  in 
advancing  your  sentiments  may  occasion  opposition,  and 
prevent  a candid  attention.  If  you  desire  instruction  and 
improvement  from  others,  you  should  not  at  the  same  time 
express  yourself  fixed  in  your  present  opinions.  Modest 
and  sensible  men,  who  do  not  love  disputation,  will  leave 
you  undisturbed  in  the  possession  of  your  errors.  In  adopt- 
ing such  a manner,  you  can  seldom  expect  to  please  your 
hearers,  or  obtain  the  concurrence  you  desire.  Pope 
judiciously  observes, 

“Men  must  be  taught  as  if  you  taught  them  not, 

And  things  unknown  proposed  as  things  forgot.” 

He  also  recommends  it  to  us, 

**  To  speak,  though  sure,  with  seeming  diffidence.'* 

And  he  might  have  joined  with  this  line  that  which  ha  hf 
coupled  with  another,  I think,  less  properly, 

“ For  want  of  modesty  is  want  of  sense.** 

If  you  ask.  Why  less  properly  P I must  repeat  the  linea, 

“ Immodest  words  admit  of  no  defence. 

For  want  of  modesty  is  want  of  sense.** 

Now,  is  not  the  want  of  sense,  where  a man  is  so  unfortunate 
as  to  want  it,  some  apology  for  his  wamt  of  modesty  f Ai^dl 
would  not  the  lines  stand  more  justly  thus 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


23 


••  Immodest  words  admit  hut  this  defence. 

That  want  of  modesty  is  want  of  sense." 

This,  however,  I should  submit  to  better  judgments. 

My  brother  had,  in  1720  or  1721,  begun  to  print  a news- 
paper. It  was  the  second  that  appeared  in  America,  and 
was  called  the  New  England  Courant,  The  only  one  before 
it  was  the  Boston  News-Letter^  I remember  his  being  dis- 
suaded by  some  of  his  friends  from  the  undertaking,  as  not 
likely  to  succeed,  one  newspaper  being  in  their  j u Jgment 
enough  for  America.  At  this  time,  1771,  there  are  not  less 
than  five-and-twenty.  He  went  on,  however,  with  the 
undertaking.  I was  employed  to  carry  the  papers  to  the 
customers,  after  having  worked  in  composing  the  types  and 
printing  off  the  sheets. 

He  had  some  ingenious  men  among  his  friends,  who 
t\mused  themselves  by  writing  little  pieces  for  this  paper, 
Ilyich  gained  it  credit  and  made  it  more  in  demand,  and 
these  gentlemen  often  visited  us.  Hearing  their  conversa- 
tions, and  their  accounts  of  the  approbation  their  papers  were 
received  with,  I was  excited  to  try  my  hand  among  them. 
But,  being  still  a boy,  and  suspecting  that  my  brother 
would  object  to  printing  anything  of  mine  in  his  paper,  if 
he  knew  it  to  be  mine,  I contrived  to  disguise  my  hand, 
and,  writing  an  anonymous  paper,  I put  it  at  night  under 
the  door  of  the  printing-house.  It  was  found  in  the 
morning,  and  communicated  to  his  writing  friends  when 
they  called  in  as  usual.  They  read  it,  commented  on  it  in 
my  hearing,  and  I had  the  exquisite  pleasure  of  finding  it 
met  with  their  approbation,  and  that,  in  their  different 
guesses  at  the  author,  none  were  named  hut  men  of  some 
character  among  us  for  learning  and  ingenuity.  I suppose 
that  I was  rather  lucky  in  my  judges,  and  that  they  were 
not  really  so  very  good  as  I then  believed  them  to  be. 
Encouraged,  however,  by  this  attempt,  I wrote  and  sent  in 

, a--  ■' 


24 


BENJAMIN  PEANKLUr. 


the  same  way  to  the  press  seTeral  other  pieces,  that  weiB 
equally  approred ; and  I kept  my  secret  till  all  my  fund 
of  sense  for  such  performances  was  exhausted,  and  then 
discovered  it,  when  I began  to  be  considered  a little  more 
by  my  brother’s  acquaintance. 

However,  that  did  not  quite  please  him,  as  he  thought  it 
tended  to  make  me  too  vain.  This  might  be  one  occasion 
of  the  differences  we  began  to  have  about  this  time.  Though 
a brother,  he  considered  himself  as  my  master,  and  me  as 
his  apprentice,  and  accordingly  expected  the  same  services 
from  me  as  he  would  from  another,  while  I thought  he 
degraded  me  too  much  in  some  he  required  of  me,  who 
from  a brother  expected  more  indulgence.  Our  disputes 
were  often  brought  before  our  father,  and  I fancy  I was 
either  generally  in  the  right,  or  else  a better  pleader, 
because  the  judgment  was  generally  in  my  favour.  But 
my  brother  was  passionate,  and  had  often  beaten  me^  wl^p; 
I took  extremely  amiss  ; and,  thinking  my  apprenticeship 
very  tedious,  I was  continually  wishing  for  some  oppor- 
tunity of  shortening  it,  which  at  length  offered  in  a manner 
^unexpected.  Perhaps  this  harsh  and  tyrannical  treatment 
of  me  might  be  a means  of  impressing  me  with  the  aversion 
to  arbitrary  power,  that  has  stuck  to  me  through  my  whole 
life. 

One  of  the  pieces  in  our  newspaper  on  some  political 
point,  which  I have  now  forgotten,  gave  offence  to  the 
Assembly.  He  was  taken  up,  censured,  and  imprisoned  for 
a month  by  the  Speaker’s  warrant,  I suppose  because  he 
would  not  discover  the  author.  I,  too,  was  taken  up  and 
examined  before  the  Council ; but,  though  I did  not  give 
them  any  satisfaction,  they  contented  themselves  with  ad- 
monishing me,  and  dismissed  me,  considering  me  perhaps 
as  an  apprentice,  who  was  bound  to  keep  his  master’s  secrete. 
During  my  brother’s  confinement,  which  I resented  a good 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


21 


leal,  notwithstanding  our  private  differences,  I had  the  man- 
agement of  the  paper ; and  I made  bold  to  give  our  rulers 
some  rubs  in  it,  which  my  brother  took  very  kindly,  while 
others  began  to  consider  me  in  an  unfavourable  light,  as  a 
youth  that  had  a turn  for  libelling  and  satire. 

My  brother’s  discharge  was  accompanied  with  an  order, 
and  a very  odd  one,  that  “ James  Franklin  should  no  longer 
print  the  newspaper  caHed  The  New  England  Courant^ 
On  a consultation  held  in  our  printing-office  amongst  his 
friends,  what  he  should  do  in  this  conjuncture,  it  was  pro- 
posed to  elude  the  order  by  changing  the  name  of  the 
paper.  But  my  brother,  seeing  inconveniences  in  this, 
came  to  a conclusion,  as  a better  way,  to  let  the  paper  in 
future  be  printed  in  the  name  of  Benjamin  Franklin  ; and 
in  order  to  avoid  the  censure  of  the  Assembly,  that, might 
fall  on  him,  as  still  printing  it  by  his  apprentice,  he  con- 
Mved  and  consented  that  my  old  indenture  should  be 
returned  to  me  with  a discharge  on  the  back  of  it,  to  show 
in  case  of  necessity ; and,  in  order  to  secure  to  him  the 
benefit  of  my  service,  I should  sign  new  indentures  for  the 
remainder  of  my  time,  which  were  to  be  kept  private. 
A very  flimsy  scheme  it  was ; however,  it  was  immediately 
executed,  and  the  paper  was  printed  accordingly,  under  my 
name,  for  several  months. 

At  length,  a fresh  difference  arising  between  my  brother 
and  me,  I took  upon  me  to  assert  my  freedom ; presuming 
that  he  would  not  venture  to  produce  the  new  indentures. 
It  was  not  fair  in  me  to  take  this  advantage,  and  this  I 
therefore  reckon  one  of  the  first  errata  of  my  life ; but  the 
unfairness  of  it  weighed  little  with  me  when  under  the 
impressions  of  resentment  for  the  blows  his  passion  too 
often  urged  him  to  bestow  upon  me.  Though  he  was 
otherwise  not  an  ill-natured  man ; perhaps  I was  too  saucy 
•nd  provoking. 


26 


BSHJAMIN  FEANKLIlf. 


When  he  found  I would  leave  him,  he  tooh  care  to 
prevent  my  getting  employment  in  any  other  printing- 
house  of  the  town,  by  going  roimd  and  speaking  to  every 
master,  who  accordingly  refused  to  give  me  work.  I then 
thought  of  going  to  New  York,  as  the  nearest  place  where 
there  was  a printer.  And  I was  rather  inclined  to  leave 
Boston  when  I reflected  that  I had  already  made  myself  a 
little  obnoxious  to  the  governing  party,  and,  from  the 
arbitrary  proceedings  of  the  Assembly  in  my  brother’s 
case,  it  was  likely  I might,  if  I stayed,  soon  bring  myseh 
into  scrapes ; and  further,  that  my  indiscreet  disputations 
about  religion  began  to  make  me  pointed  at  with  horror  by 
good  people,  as  an  infidel  and  atheist.  I concluded,  there- 
fore,  to  remove  to  New  York ; but  my  father  now  siding 
with  my  brother,  I was  sensible  that,  if  I attempted  to  go 
openly,  means  would  be  used  to  prevent  me.  My  friend 
Collins,  therefore,  undertook  to  manage  my  flight.  He 
agreed  with  the  captain  of  a New  York  sloop  to  take  ms, 
under  pretence  of  my  being  a young  man  of  his  acquaintance 
that  had  an  intrigue  with  a girl  of  bad  character,  whose 
parents  would  compel  me  to  marry  her,  and  that  I could 
neither  appear  nor  come  away  publicly.  I sold  my  books  to 
raise  a little  money,  was  taken  on  board  the  sloop  privately, 
had  a fair  wind,  and  in  three  days  found  myself  at  New 
York,  near  three  hundred  miles  from  my  home,  at  the  age 
of  seventeen  (October,  1723),  without  the  least  recom- 
mendation, or  knowledge  of  any  person  in  the  place,  and 
rery  little  money  in  my 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  inclination  I had  had  for  the  sea  was  by  this  time  done 
away,  or  I might  now  have  gratified  it.  But  having  another 
profession,  and  conceiving  myself  a pretty  good  workman,  I 
offered  my  services  to  a printer  of  the  place,  old  Mr.  William 
Bradford,  who  had  been  the  first  printer  in  Pennsylvania, 
but  had  removed  thence,  in  consequence  of  a quarrel  with 
the  governor,  George  Keith.  He  could  give  me  no  employ- 
ment, having  little  to  do,  and  hands  enough  already  ; hut  he 
said,  “ My  son  at  Philadelphia  has  lately  lost  his  principal 
hand,  Aquila  Rose,  by  death ; if  you  go  thither  I believe  he 
may  employ  you.”  Philadelphia  was  one  hundred  miles 
further ; I set  out,  however,  in  a boat  for  Amboy,  leaving 
my  chest  and  things  to  follow  me  round  by  sea. 

In  crossing  the  bay,  we  met  with  a squall  that  tore  our 
rotten  sails  to  pieces,  preventing  our  getting  into  the  Kill, 
and  drove  us  upon  Long  Island.  In  our  way,  a drunken 
Dutchman,  who  was  a passenger  too,  fell  overboard;  when 
he  was  sinking,  I reached  through  the  water  to  his  shock 
pate,  and  drew  him  up,  so  that  we  got  him  in  again.  Hia 
ducking  sobered  him  a little,  and  he  went  to  sleep,  taking 
first  out  of  his  pocket  a book,  which  he  desired  I would  dry 
for  him.  It  proved  to  be  my  old  favourite  author,  Bimyan’s 
FilgrimU  Progress^  in  Dutch,  finely  printed  on  good  paper, 
copper  cuts,  a dress  better  than  I had  ever  seen  it  wear  in 
its  own  language.  I have  since  found  that  it  has  been  trans- 
lated into  most  of  the  languages  of  Europe,  and  suppose  it 
has  been  more  generally  read  than  any  other  book,  except 
perhaps  the  Bible.  Honest  John  was  the  first  that  I know 
of  who  mixed  narration  and  dialogue  : a method  of  writing 
very  eng;aging  to  the  reader,  who  in  the  most  interesting 


28 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


parts  finds  himself,  as  it  were,  admitted  into  the  company 
and  present  at  the  conversation.  Defoe  has  imitated  him 
successfully  in  his  Robinson  Crusoe^  in  his  Moll  Flanden^ 
and  other  pieces ; and  Richardson  has  done  the  same  in  his 
Pamela^  &c. 

On  approaching  the  island,  we  found  it  was  in  a place 
where  there  could  be  no  landing,  there  being  a great  surge 
on  the  stony  beach.  So  we  dropped  anchor,  and  swung  out 
our  cable  towards  the  shore.  Some  people  came  down  to 
the  shore,  and  hallooed  to  us,  as  we  did  to  them ; but  the 
wind  was  so  high  and  the  surge  so  loud  that  we  could  not 
understand  each  other.  There  were  some  small  boats 
near  the  shore,  and  we  made  signs,  and  called  to  them  to 
fetch  us  ; but  they  either  did  not  comprehend  u^  or  it  was 
impracticable,  so  they  went  off.  Night  approaching,  we  had 
no  remedy  but  to  have  patience  till  the  wind  abated ; and  in 
the  meantime  the  boatmen  and  myself  concluded  to  sleep, 
if  we  could ; and  so  we  crowded  into  the  hatches,  where  we 
joined  the  Dutchman,  who  was  still  wet,  and  the  spray, 
breaking  over  the  head  of  our  boat,  leaked  through  to  us, 
BO  that  we  were  soon  almost  as  wet  as  he.  In  this  man- 
ner we  lay  aU  night,  with  very  little  rest ; but  the  wind 
abating  the  next  day,  we  made  a shift  to  reach  Amboy  before 
night,  having  been  thirty  hours  on  the  water,  without 
victuals,  or  any  drink  but  a bottle  of  filthy  rum ; the  water 
we  sailed  on  being  salt. 

In  the  evening  I found  myself  very  feverish,  and  went  to 
bed;  but  having  read  somewhere  that  cold  water  drunk 
plentifully  was  good  for  a fever,  I followed  the  prescription, 
and  sweat  plentifully  most  of  the  night.  My  fever  left  me, 
and  in  the  morning,  crossing  the  ferry,  I proceeded  on  my 
journey  on  foot,  having  fifty  miles  to  go  to  Burlington, 
where  I was  told  I should  find  boats  that  would  carry  mt 
the  rest  of  the  way  to  Philadelphia. 


BENJAMIN  FRANNLIN. 


29 


It  raised  very  hard  all  the  day ; I was  thoroughly  soaked, 
and  by  noon  a good  deal  tired ; so  I stopped  at  a poor  inn, 
where  I stayed  all  night,  beginning  now  to  wish  I had  never 
left  home.  I made  ro  miserable  a figure,  too,  that  I found, 
by  the  questions  asked  me,  I was  suspected  to  be  some  run- 
away indentured  servant,  and  in  danger  of  being  taken  up  on 
that  suspicion.  However,  I proceeded  next  day,  and  got  in 
the  evening  to  an  inn,  within  eight  or  ten  miles  of  Burling- 
ton, kept  by  one  Dr.  Brown.  He  entered  into  conversation 
with  me  while  I took  some  refreshment,  and,  finding  I had 
read  a little,  became  very  obliging  and  friendly.  Our  ac- 
quaintance continued  all  the  rest  of  his  life.  He  had  been, 
1 imagine,  an  ambulatory  quack  doctor,  for  there  was  no  town 
in  England,  nor  any  country  in  Europe,  of  which  he  could 
not  give  a very  particular  account.  He  had  some  letters, 
and  was  ingenious,  but  he  was  an  infidel,  and  wickedly  un- 
dertook, some  years  after,  to  turn  the  Bible  into  doggrel 
verse,  as  Cotton  had  formerly  done  with  Virgil.  By  this 
means  he  set  many  facts  in  a ridiculous  light,  and  might 
have  done  mischief  with  weak  minds,  if  his  work  had  been 
published ; but  it  never  was. 

At  his  house  I lay  that  night,  and  arrived  the  next  morn- 
ing at  Burlington ; but  had  the  mortification  to  find  that 
the  regular  boats  were  gone  a little  before,  and  no  other 
expected  to  go  before  Tuesday,  this  being  Saturday. 
Wherefore  I returned  to  an  old  woman  in  the  town,  of 
whom  I had  bought  some  gingerbread  to  eat  on  the  water, 
and  asked  her  advice.  She  proposed  to  lodge  me  till  a 
passage  by  some  other  boat  occurred.  I accepted  her  offer, 
being  much  fatigued  by  travelling  on  foot.  Understanding 
I was  a printer,  she  would  have  had  me  remain  in  that  town 
and  follow  my  business,  being  ignorant  what  stock  was 
necessary  to  begin  with.  She  was  very  hospitable,  gave 
mo  a dinner  of  ox-cheek  with  great  good-will,  accepting 


90 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


only  of  a pot  of  ale  in  return  ; and  I thought  myself  fixed 
till  Tuesday  should  come.  However,  walking  in  the  evening 
by  the  side  of  the  river,  a boat  came  by,  which  I found  was 
going  towards  Philadelphia  with  several  people  in  her. 
They  took  me  in,  and  as  there  was  no  wind,  we  rowed  all 
the  way ; and  about  midnight,  not  having  yet  seen  the  city, 
some  of  the  company  were  confident  we  must  have  passed  it, 
and  would  row  no  further ; the  others  knew  not  where  we 
were,  so  we  put  towards  the  shore,  got  into  a creek,  landed 
near  an  old  fence,  with  the  rails  of  which  we  made  a fire, 
the  night  being  cold,  in  October,  and  there  we  remained  till 
daylight.  Then  one  of  the  company  knew  the  place  to  be 
Cooper’s  Creek,  a little  above  Philadelphia,  which  we  saw 
as  soon  as  we  got  out  of  the  creek,  and  arrived  there  about 
eight  or  nine  o’clock  on  the  Sunday  morning,  and  landed  at 
Market  Street  wharf. 

I have  been  the  more  particular  is  this  description  of  my 
journey,  and  shall  be  so  of  my  first  entry  into  that  city, 
that  you  may  in  your  mind  compare  such  unlikely  begin- 
nings with  the  figure  I have  since  made  there.  I was  in 
my  working  dress,  my  best  clothes  coming  round  by  sea.  I 
was  dirty,  from  my  being  so  long  in  the  boat.  My  pockets 
were  stuffed  out  with  shirts  and  stockings,  and  I knew  no 
one,  nor  where  to  look  for  lodging.  Fatigued  with  walk- 
ing, rowing,  and  the  want  of  sleep,  I was  very  hungry ; 
and  my  whole  stock  of  cash  consisted  in  a single  dollar,  and 
about  a shilling  in  copper  coin,  which  I gave  to  the  boat- 
men for  my  passage.  At  first  they  refused  it,  on  account 
of  my  having  rowed;  but  I insisted  on  their  taking  it. 
Man  is  sometimes  more  generous  when  he  has  little  money 
than  when  he  has  plenty : perhaps  to  prevent  his  being 
thought  to  have  but  little. 

I walked  towards  the  top  of  the  street,  gazing  about  till 
near  Market  Street,  where  I met  a boy  with  bread.  I had 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


31 


often  made  a meal  of  dry  bread,  and,  inquiring  where  he 
had  bought  it,  I went  immediately  to  the  baker’s  he  directed 
me  to.  I a^ed  for  biscuits,  meaning  such  as  we  bad  at 
Boston ; that  sort,  it  seems,  was  not  made  in  Philadelphia. 
I then  asked  for  a threepenny  loaf,  and  was  told  they  had 
none.  Not  knowing  the  different  prices,  nor  the  names  of 
the  dilferent  sorts  of  bread,  I told  him  to  give  me  three- 
penny-worth of  any  sort.  He  gave  me  accordingly  three 
great  puffy  rolls.  I was  surprised  at  the  quantity,  but  took 
it,  and,  having  no  room  in  my  pockets,  walked  off  with  a 
roll  under  each  arm,  and  eating  the  other.  Thus  I went  up 
Market  Street  as  far  as  Fourth  Street,  passing  by  the  door 
of  Mr.  Bead,  my  future  wife’s  father ; when  she,  standing 
at  the  door,  saw  me,^and  thought  I made,  as  I certainly  did, 
a most  awkward,  ridiculous  appearance.  Then  I turned, 
and  went  down  Chestnut  Street  and  part  of  Walnut  Street, 
eating  my  roll  all  the  way;  and,  coming  round,  found 
myseli  again  at  Market  Street  wharf,  near  the  boat  I came 
in,  to  which  I went  for  a draught  of  the  river  water ; and 
being  filled  with  one  of  my  rolls,  gave  the  other  two  to  a 
woman  and  her  child  that  came  down  the  river  in  the  boat 
with  us,  and  were  waiting  to  go  farther. 

Thus  refreshed,  I walked  again  up  the  street,  which,  by 
this  time,  had  many  clean-dressed  people  in  it,  who  were  all 
walking  the  same  way.  I joined  them,  and  thereby  wa« 
led  into  the  great  meeting-house  of  the  Quakers,  near  the 
market.  I sat  down  among  them,  and,  after  looking  round 
a while,  and  hearing  nothing  said,  being  very  drowsy 
through  labour  and  want  of  rest  the  preceding  night,  I fell 
fast  asleep,  and  continued  so  till  the  meeting  broke  up, 
when  some  one  was  kind  enough  to  rouse  me.  This,  there- 
fore, was  the  first  house  I waa  in,  or  slept  in,  in  Phila- 
delphia. 

I then  walked  down  towards  the  river,  and,  looking  in 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


the  faces  of  every  one,  I met  a young  Quaker  man  whose 
countenance  pleased  me,  and,  accosting  him,  requested  he 
would  tell  me  where  a stranger  could  get  a IcMging.  We 
were  then  near  the  sign  of  the  Three  Mariners.  **  Here  ’’ 
said  he,  ‘‘  is  a house  where  they  receive  strangers,  but  it  is 
not  a reputable  one;  if  thee  wilt  walk  with  me.  I’ll  show 
thee  a better  one,”  and  he  conducted  me  to  the  Crooked 
Billet,  in  Water  Street.  There  I got  a dinner;  and  while 
I was  eating,  several  questions  were  asked  me,  as,  from  my 
youth  and  appearance,  I was  suspected  of  being  a runaway. 

After  dinner,  my  host  having  shown  me  to  a bed,  I laid 
myself  on  it  without  undressing,  and  slept  till  six  in  the 
evening,  when  I was  called  to  supper.  I went  to  bed  again 
very  early,  and  slept  very  soundly  till  next  morning.  Then 
I dressed  myseK  as.  neat  as  I could,  and  went  to  Andrew 
Bradford,  the  printer’s.  I found  in  the  shop  the  old  man 
his  father,  whom  I had  seen  at  New  York,  and  who,  travel- 
ling on  horseback,  had  got  to  Philadelphia  before  me.  He 
introduced  me  to  his  son,  who  received  me  civilly,  gave  me 
a breakfast,  but  told  me  he  did  not  at  present  want  a hand, 
being  lately  supplied  with  one;  but  there  was  another 
printer  in  town,  lately  set  up,  one  Keimer,  who  perhaps 
might  employ  me ; if  not,  I should  be  welcome  to  lodge  at 
his  house,  and  he  would  give  me  a little  work  to  do  now  and 
then,  till  fuller  business  should  offer. 

The  old  gentleman  said  he  would  go  with  me  to  the  new 
printer;  and  when  we  found  him,  Neighbour,”  said  Brad- 
ford, **  I have  brought  to  see  you  a young  man  of  your 
business : perhaps  you  may  want  such  a one.”  He  asked 
me  a few  questions,  put  a composing-stick  in  my  hand  to 
see  how  I worked,  and  then  said  he  would  employ  me  soon, 
though  he  had  just  then  nothing  for  me  to  do.  And  taking 
old  Bradford,  whom  he  had  never  seen  before,  to  be  one  of 
the  townspeople  that  had  a good-will  for  him,  entered  into 


BENJAMIN  PBANELIN. 


33 


A OOTrersation  on  his  present  undertaking  and  prospects ; 
wMe  Bradford,  not  discovering  that  he  was  the  other 
printer’s  father,  on  Keimer’s  saying  he  expected  soon  to  get 
the  greatest  part  of  the  business  into  his  own  hands,  drew 
him  on,  by  artful  questions,  and  starting  Httle  doubts,  to 
explain  all  his  views,  what  influence  he  relied  on,  and  in 
what  manner  he  intended  to  proceed.  I,  who  stood  by  and 
heard  all,  saw  immediately  that  one  was  a crafty  old 
sophister,  and  the  other  a true  novice.  Bradford  left  me 
with  Keimer,  who  was  greatly  surprised  when  I told  him 
whodhe  old  man  was. 

The  printing-house,  I found,  consisted  of  an  old  damaged 
press,  and  a small,  worn-out  fount  of  English  types,  which 
he  was  using  himself,  composing  an  Elegy  on  Aquila  Rose, 
before  mentioned ; an  ingenious  young  man,  of  excellent 
character,  much  respected  in  the  town,  secretary  to  the 
Assembly,  and  a pretty  poet.  Keimer  made  verses  too,  but 
very  indifferently.  He  could  not  be  said  to  write  them,  for 
his  method  was  to  compose  them  in  the  types  directly  out 
of  his  head.  There  being  no  copy,  but  one  pair  of  cases, 
and  the  Elegy  probably  requiring  all  the  letter,  no  one  could 
help  him.  I endeavoured  to  put  his  press  (which  he  had 
not  yet  used,  and  of  which  he  understood  nothing)  into 
order  to  be  worked  with  ; and,  promising  to  come  and  print 
off  his  Elegy  as  soon  as  he  should  have  got  it  ready,  I 
returned  to  Bradford’s,  who  gave  me  a little  job  to  do  for 
the  present,  and  there  I lodged  and  dieted.  A few  days 
after,  Keimer  sent  for  me  to  print  off  the  Elegy,  And  now 
he  had  got  another  pair  of  cases,  and  a pamphlet  to  reprint, 
an  which  he  set  me  to  work. 

These  two  printers  I found  poorly  qualifled  for  their  busi- 
ness. Bradford  had  not  been  bred  to  it,  and  was  very  illite- 
rate; and  Keimer,  though  something  of  a scholar,  was  a 
mere  compositor,  knowing  nothing  of  press-work.  He  had 


84 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


been  one  of  the  French  prophets,  and  could  act  their  cnthu* 
aiastio  agitations.  At  this  time  he  did  not  profess  any 
particular  religion,  but  something  of  aU  on  occasion ; was 
very  ignorant  of  the  world,  and  had,  as  I afterwards  found, 
a good  deal  of  the  knave  in  his  composition.  He  did  not 
like  my  lodging  at  Bradford’s  while  I worked  with  him. 
He  had  a house,  indeed,  but  without  furniture,  so  he  could 
not  lodge  me ; but  he  got  me  a lodging  at  Mr.  Read’s, 
before  mentioned,  who  was  the  owner  of  his  house ; and 
my  chest  of  clothes  being^me  by  this  time,  I made  rather 
a more  respectable  appearance  in  the  eyes  of  Miss  Read  than 
I had  done  when  she  first  happened  to  see  me  eating  my  roll 
in  the  street. 

I began  now  to  have  some  acquaintance  among  the  young 
people  of  the  town  that  were  lovers  of  reading,  with  whom 
I spent  my  evenings  very  pleasantly,  and  gained  money  by 
my  industry  and  frugality.  I lived  very  contented,  and 
forgot  Boston  as  much  as  I could,  and  did  not  wish 
to  be  known  where  I resided  except  to  my  friend  Collins, 
who  was  in  the  secret,  and  kept  it  faithfully.  At  length, 
however,  an  incident  happened  that  occasioned  my  return 
home  much  sooner  than  I had  intended.  I had  a brother- 
in-law,  Robert  Holmes,  master  of  a sloop  that  traded  between 
Boston  and  Delaware^^He  being  at  Newcastle,  forty  miles 
below  Philadelphia,  ana  hearing  of  me,  wrote  me  a letter 
mentioning  the  grief  of  my  relations  and  friends  in  Boston 
at  my  abrupt  departure,  assuring  me  of  their  good-will  to 
me,  and  that  everything  would  be  accommodated  to  my 
mind  if  I would  return  ; to  which  he  entreated  me  earnestly. 
I wrote  an  answer  to  his  letter,  thanked  him  for  his  advice, 
but  stated  my  reasons  for  quitting  Boston  so  fully  and  in 
•uch  a light  as  to  convince  him  that  I was  not  so  much  in 
the  wrong  as  he  had  apprehended. 

Sir  William  Keith,  Governor  of  the  province,  was  then  at 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


35 


Newcastle,  and  Captain  Holmes,  happening  to  be  in  company 
with  him  when  my  letter  came  to  hand,  spoke  to  him  of  me, 
and  showed  him  the  letter.  The  Governor  read  it,  and 
seemed  surprised  when  he  was  told  my  age.  He  said  I 
appeared  a young  man  of  promising  parts,  and  therefore 
should  he  encouraged ; the  printers  at  Philadelphia  were 
wretched  ones,  and  if  I would  set  up  there,  he  made  no 
doubt  I should  succeed ; for  his  part  he  would  procure  me  the 
public  business,  and  do  me  eve^  other  service  in  his  power. 
This  my  brother-in-law  Holmesl,fterwards  told  me  in  Bos- 
ton, but  I knew  as  yet  nothing  of  it ; when  oile  day  Keimer 
and  I,  being  at  work  together  near  the  window,  we  saw  the 
Governor  and  another  gentleman  (who  proved  to  be  Colonel 
French,  of  Newcastle,  in  the  province  of  Delaware),  finely 
dressed,  come  directly  across  the  street  to  our  house,  and 
heard  them  at  the  door. 

Keimer  ran  down  immediately,  thinking  it  a visit  to  him; 
but  the  Governor  inquired  for  me,  came  up,  and  with  a con- 
descension and  politeness  I had  been  quite  unused  to,  made 
him  many  compliments,  desired  to  be  acquainted  with  me, 
blamed  me  kindly  for  not  having  made  myself  known  to 
him  when  I first  came  to  the  place,  and  would  have  me 
away  with  him  to  the  tavern,  where  he  was  going  with 
Colonel  French  to  taste,  as  he  said,  some  excellent  Madeira. 
I was  not  a little  surprised,  and  Keimer  stared  with  astonish- 
ment. I went,  however,  with  the  Governor  and  Colonel 
French  to  a tavern  at  the  comer  of  Third  Street,  and  over 
the  Madeira  he  proposed  my  setting  up  my  business.  He 
stated  the  probabilities  of  my  success,  and  both  he  and 
Colonel  French  assured  me  I should  have  their  interest  and 
influence  to  obtain  for  me  the  public  business  of  both  govern- 
ments. And  as  I expressed  doubts  that  my  father  would 
assist  me  in  it.  Sir  William  said  he  would  give  me  a letter 
to  him,  in  which  he  would  set  forth  the  advantages,  and  he 


36 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


did  not  doubt  he  should  determine  him  to  comply.  So  it  was 
concluded  I should  return  to  Boston  by  the  first  vessel,  with 
the  Governor’s  letter,  to  my  father.  In  the  meantime  it 
was  to  be  kept  a secret,  and  I went  on  working  with  Keimer 
as  usual.  The  Governor  sent  for  me  now  and  then  to  dine 
with  him,  which  I considered  a great  honour,  more  particu- 
larly as  he  conversed  with  me  in  a most  affable,  familiar,  and 
friendly  manner. 

About  the  end  of  April,  1724,  a little  vessel  offered  for  Bos- 
ton. I took  leave  of  Keimer,  as  going  to  see  my  friends.  The 
Governor  gave  me  an  ample  letter,  saying  many  flatteiing 
things  of  me  to  my  father,  and  strongly  recommending  the 
project  of  my  setting  up  at  Philadelphia  as  a thing  that 
.would  make  my  fortune.  We  struck  on  a shoal  in  going 
down  the  bay  and  sprung  a leak ; we  had  a blustering  time 
at  sea,  and  were  obliged  to  pump  almost  continually,  at 
which  I took  my  turn.  We  arrived  safe,  however,  at  Boston  in 
about  a fortnight.  I had  been  absent  seven  months,  and  my 
friends  had  heard  nothing  of  me ; for  my  brother  James  was 
not  yet  returned,  and  had  not  written  about  me.  My  unex- 
pected appearance  surprised  the  family ; all  were,  however, 
very  glad  to  see  me,  and  made  me  welcome,  except  my  brother. 
I went  to  see  him  at  his  printing-house.  I was  better  dressed 
than  ever  while  in  his  service,  having  a genteel  new  suit 
from  head  to  foot,  a watch,  and  my  pockets  lined  with  near 
five  pounds  sterling  in  silver.  He  received  me  not  very 
frankly,  looked  me  all  over,  and  turned  to  his  work  again. 

The  journeymen  were  inquisitive  where  I had  been,  what 
sort  of  a country  it  was,  and  how  I liked  it.  I praised  it 
much  and  the  happy  life  I led  in  it,  expressing  strongly  my 
intention  of  returning  to  it ; and,  one  of  them  asking  what 
kind  of  money  we  had  there,  I produced  a handful  of  silver, 
and  spread  it  before  them,  which  was  a kind  of  rares^shoi§ 
they  had  not  been  used  to,  paper  being  the  money  of  Boston. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


37 


Then  I took  an  opportunity  of  letting  them  see  my  watch ; 
and  lastly  (my  brother  still  grum  and  sullen)  gave  them  a 
dollar  to  drink,  and  took  my  leave.  This  visit  of  mine  of- 
fended him  extremely.  For,  when  my  mother  some  time 
after  spoke  to  him  of  a reconciliation,  and  of  her  wish  to 
see  us  on  good  terms  together,  and  that  we  might  live  for 
the  future  as  brothers,  he  said  I had  insulted  him  in  such  & 
manner  before  his  people  that  he  could  never  forget  or 
forgive  it.  In  this,  however,  he  was  mistaken. 

My  father  received  the  Governor’s  letter  with  some  sur- 
prise, but  said  little  of  it  to  me  for  some  time.  Captain 
Holmes  returning,  he  showed  it  to  him,  and  asked  him  if  he 
knew  Sir  William  Keith,  and  what  kind  of  a man  he  was ; 
adding  that  he  must  be  of  small  discretion  to  think  of  setting 
a youth  up  in  business  who  wanted  three  years  to  arrive  at 
man’s  estate.  Holmes  said  what  he  could  in  favour  of  the 
project,  but  my  father  was  decidedly  against  it,  and  at  last 
gave  a flat  denial.  He  wrote  a civil  letter  to  Sir  William, 
thanking  him  for  the  patronage  he  had  so  kindly  offered  me, 
and  declined  to  assist  me  as  yet  in  setting  up,  I being,  in  his 
opinion,  too  young  to  be  trusted  with  the  management  of  an 
undertaking  so  important,  and  for  which  the  preparation 
required  a considerable  expenditure. 

My  old  companion  Collins,  who  was  a clerk  in  the  post- 
office,  pleased  with  the  account  I gave  him  of  my  new 
country,  determined  to  go  thither  also  ; and  while  I waited 
for  my  father’s  determination,  he  set  out  before  me  by  land 
^ to  Rhode  Island,  leaving  his  books,  which  were  a pretty 
collection  in  mathematics  and  natural  philosophy,  to  come 
with  mine  and  me  to  New  York,  where  he  proposed  to 
wait  for  me. 

My  father,  though  he  did  not  approve  Sir  William’s  pro- 
position, was  yet  pleased  that  I had  been  able  to  obtain  so 
•dvantagoous  a character  from  a person  of  such  note  where 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


I had  resided,  and  that  I had  been  so  industrious  and  care* 
ful  as  to  equip  myself  so  handsomely  in  so  short  a time ; 
therefore,  seeing  no  prospect  of  an  accommodation  between 
my  brother  and  me,  he  gave  his  consent  to  my  returning 
again  to  Philadelphia,  advised  me  to  behave  respectfully  to 
the  people  there,  endeavour  to  obtain  the  general  esteem, 
and  avoid  lampooning  and  libelling,  to  which  he  thought  I 
had  too  much  inclination;  telling  me,  that  by  steady 
industry  and  prudent  parsimony  I might  save  enough  by 
the  time  I was  one-and-twenty  to  set  me  up ; and  that  if  I 
came  near  the  matter  he  would  help  me  out  with  the  rest. 
This  was  all  I could  obtain,  except  some  small  gifts  as 
tokens  of  his  and  my  mother’s  love,  when  I embarked  again 
for  New  York  ; now  with  their  approbation  and  their 
blessing. 

The  sloop  putting  in  at  Newport,  Phode  Island,  I visited 
my  brother  John,  who  had  been  married  and  settled  there 
some  years.  He  received  me  very  affectionately,  for  he 
always  loved  me.  A friend  of  his,  one  Vernon,  having  some 
money  due  to  him  in  Pennsylvania,  about  thirty -five  pounds 
currency,  desired  I would  recover  it  for  him,  and  keep  it 
till  I had  his  directions  what  to  employ  it  in.  Accordingly 
he  gave  me  an  order  to  receive  it.  This  business  afterwards 
occasioned  me  a good  deal  of  uneasiness. 

At  Newport  we  took  in  a number  of  passengers,  amongst 
whom  were  two  young  women  travelling  together,  and  a 
sensible,  matron-like  Quaker  lady,  with  her  servants.  I 
had  shown  an  obliging  disposition  to  render  her  some  little 
services,  which  probably  impressed  her  with  sentiments  of 
good-will  towards  me ; for  when  she  witnessed  the  daily 
growing  familiarity  between  the  young  women  and  myself, 
which  they  appeared  to  encourage,  she  took  me  aside  and 
■aid,  **  Young  man,  I am  concerned  for  thee,  as  thou  hast 
no  friend  with  thee,  and  seems  not  to  know  much  of  tha 


BENJAMIN  PEANKLIN. 


world,  or  of  the  snares  youth  is  exposed  to ; depend  upon  it, 
these  are  very  had  women : I can  see  it  by  all  their  actions ; 
and  if  thee  art  not  upon  thy  guard,  they  will  draw  thee  into 
some  danger  ; they  are  strangers  to  thee,  and  I advise  thee, 
in  a friendly  concern  for  thy  welfare,  to  have  no  acquaint- 
ance with  them.’*  As  I seemed  at  first  not  to  think  so  ill 
of  them  as  she  did,  she  mentioned  some  things  she  had 
observed  and  heard,  that  had  escaped  my  notice,  but  now 
convinced  me  she  was  right.  I thanked  her  for  her 
kind  advice,  and  promised  to  follow  it.  When  we  arrived 
at  New  York  they  told  me  where  they  lived,  and  invited  me 
to  come  and  see  them,  but  I avoided  it ; and  it  was  well  I 
did,  for  the  next  day  the  captain  missed  a silver  spoon  and 
some  other  things,  that  had  been  taken  out  of  his  cabin,  and 
knowing  that  these  were  a couple  of  strumpets,  he  got  a 
warrant  to  search  their  lodgings,  found  the  stolen  goods, 
and  had  the  thieves  punished.  So,  though  we  had  escaped 
a sunken  rock,  which  we  scraped  upon  in  the  passage,  I 
thought  this  escape  of  rather  more  importance  to  me. 

At  New  York  I found  my  friend  Collins,  who  had 
arrived  there  some  time  before  me.  We  had  been  intimate 
from  children,  and  had  read  the  same  books  together ; but 
he  had  the  advantage  of  more  time  for  reading  and  study- 
ing, and  a wonderful  genius  for  mathematical  learning,  in 
which  he  far  outstripped  me.  While  I lived  in  Boston, 
most  o^  my  hours  of  leisure  for  conversation  were  spent 
with  him,  and  he  continued  a sober  as  well  as  industrious 
lad,  was  much  respected  for  his  learning  by  several  of  the 
clergy  and  other  gentlemen,  and  seemed  to  promise  making 
a good  figure  in  life.  But  during  my  absence  he  had 
acquired  a habit  of  drinking  brandy,  and  I found  by  his 
own  account,  as  well  as  that  of  others,  that  he  had  been 
drunk  every  day  since  his  arrival  at  New  York,  and  be- 
haved himself  in  a very  extravagant  manner.  He  had 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIH. 


gamed  too,  and  lost  liis  money,  so  that  I was  obliged  to 
discharge  his  lodgings,  and  defray  his  expenses  on  the  road 
and  at  Philadelphia,  which  proved  a great  burden  to  me. 

The  then  Governor  of  New  York,  Burnet  (son  of  Bishop 
Burnet),  hearing  from  the  captain  that  one  of  the  passengers 
had  a great  many  books  on  board,  desired  him  to  bring  me 
to  see  him.  I waited  on  him,  and  should  have  taken  Col- 
lins with  me  had  he  been  sober.  The  Governor  received 
me  with  great  civility,  showed  me  his  library,  which  was  a 
considerable  one,  and  we  had  a good  deal  of  conversation 
relative  to  books  and  authors.  This  was  the  second 
Governor  who  had  done  me  the  honour  to  take  notice  of  me, 
and,  for  a poor  boy  like  me,  it  was  very  pleasing. 

We  proceeded  to  Philadelphia.  I received  in  the  way 
Yemen’s  money,  without  which  we  could  hardly  havi 
finished  our  journey.  Collins  wished  to  be  employed  in 
some  counting-house;  but,  whether  they  discovered  his 
dram-drinking  by  his  breath  or  by  his  behaviour,  though 
he  had  some  recommendations,  he  met  with  no  success  in 
€uiy  application,  and  continued  lodging  and  boarding  at  the 
same  house  with  me,  and  at  my  expense.  Knowing  I had 
that  money  of  Vernon’s,  he  was  continually  borrowing  of 
me,  still  promising  repayment  as  soon  as  he  should  be  in 
business.  At  length  he  had  got  so  much  of  it,  that  I was 
distressed  to  think  what  I should  do  in  case  of  being  called 
on  to  remit  it. 

His  drinking  continued,  about  which  we  sometimes 
quarrelled,  for  when  a little  intoxicated  he  was  very  irri- 
table. Once  in  a boat  on  the  Delaware,  with  some  other 
young  men,  he  refused  to  row  in  his  turn.  “I  will  be 
rowed  home,”  said  he.  “We  will  not  row  you,”  said  L 
“ You  must,”  said  he,  “or  stay  all  night  on  the  water,  just 
as  you  please.”  The  others  said,  “ Let  us  row ; what  signi- 
fies itP”  But,  my  mind  being  soured  with  his  othes 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


41 


eonduct,  I continued  to  refuse.  So  lie  swore  he  would 
make  me  row,  or  throw  me  overboard  ; and  coming  along 
stepping  on  the  thwarts  towards  me,  when  he  came  up  and 
struck  at  me,  I clapped  my  head  under  his  thighs,  and,  ris- 
ing,  pitched  him  headforemost  into  the  river,  I knew  he 
was  a good  swimmer,  and  so  was  under  little  concern  about 
him ; hut  before  he  could  get  round  to  lay  hold  of  the  boat 
we  had  with  a few  strokes  pulled  her  out  of  his  reach ; and 
whenever  he  drew  near  the  boat,  we  asked  him  if  he  would 
row,  striking  a few  strokes  to  slide  her  away  from  him.  He 
was  ready  to  stifle  with  vexation,  and  obstinately  would  not 
promise  to  row.  Finding  him  at  last  beginning  to  tire,  we 
drew  him  into  the  boat,  and  brought  him  home  dripping 
wet.  We  hardly  exchanged  a civil  word  after  this  adven- 
ture. At  length  a West  India  captain,  who  had  a com- 
mission to  procure  a preceptor  for  the  sons  of  a gentleman 
at  Barbadoes,  met  with  him,  and  proposed  to  carry  him 
thither  to  fill  that  situation.  He  accepted,  and  promised  to 
remit  me  what  he  owed  me  out  of  the  first  money  he  should 
receive,  but  I never  heard  of  him  after. 

The  violation  of  my  trust  respecting  Vernon’s  money 
was  one  of  the  first  great  errata  of  my  life ; and  this 
showed  that  my  father  was  not  much  out  in  his  judgment 
when  he  considered  me  as  too  young  to  manage  business. 
But  Sir  William,  on  reading  his  letter,  said  he  was  too 
prudent,  that  there  was  a great  difference  in  persons ; and 
discretion  did  not  always  accompany  years,  nor  was  youth 
always  without  it.  But  since  he  will  not  set  you  up,  I 
will  do  it  myself.  Give  me  an  inventory  of  the  things 
necessary  to  be  had  from  England,  and  I will  send  for 
them.  You  shall  repay  me  when  you  are  able.  I am 
resolved  to  have  a good  printer  here,  and  I am  sure  you 
must  succeed.”  This  was  spoken  with  such  an  appearance 
oocdiality,  that  1 had  not  the  least  doubt  of  his  meaning 


42 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


what  he  said.  I had  hitherto  kept  the  proposition  of  my 
•etting  up  a secret  in  Philadelphia,  and  I still  kept  it. 
liad  it  been  known  that  I depended  on  the  Governor, 
probably  some  friend  that  knew  him  better  would  have 
advised  me  not  to  rely  on  him,  as  I afterwards  heard  it  as 
his  known  character  to  be  liberal  of  promises,  which  he 
never  meant  to  keep.  Yet,  unsolicited  as  he  was  by  me, 
how  could  I think  his  generous  offers  insincere?  I believed 
him  one  of  the  best  men  in  the  world. 

I presented  him  an  inventory  of  a little  printing-house, 
amounting,  by  my  computation,  to  about  one  hundred 
pounds  sterling.  He  liked  it,  but  asked  me  if  my  being 
on  the  spot  in  England  to  choose  the  types,  and  see  that 
everything  was  good  of  the  kind,  might  not  be  of  some 
advantage.  “ Then,”  said  he,  “ when  there,  you  may 
make  acquaintance,  and  establishing  correspondences  in 
the  bookselling  and  stationery  line.”  I agreed  that  this 
might  be  advantageous.  Then,”  said  he,  ‘‘  get  yourself 
ready  to  go  by  the  A.nnisy^  which  was  the  annual  ship,  and 
the  only  one,  at  that  time  usually  passing  between  London 
and  Philadelphia.  But  as  it  would  be  some  months  before 
the  Annis  sailed,  I continued  working  with  Keimer,  fretting 
extremely  about  the  money  Collins  had  got  from  me,  and 
in  great  apprehensions  of  being  called  upon  for  it  by 
Vernon  ^ this,  however,  did  not  happen  for  some  years 
after. 

I believe  I have  omitted  mentioning,  that  in  my  first 
voyage  from  Boston  to  Philadelphia,  being  becalmed  off 
Block  Island,  our  crew  employed  themselves  in  catching 
cod,  and  hauled  up  a great  number.  Till  then,  I had 
stuck  to  my  resolution  to  eat  nothing  that  had  had  life ; 
and  on  this  occasion  I considered,  according  to  my  master 
Tryon,  the  taking  of  every  fish  as  a kind  of  unprovoked 
murder,  since  none  of  them  had,  or  could  do  us  cny  in j uury, 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


43 


that  might  justify  this  massacre.  All  this  seemed  very 
reasonable.  Bift  I had  been  formerly  a great  lever  of  fish, 
and  when  it  «ame  out  of  the  frying-pan  it  smelt  admirably 
well.  I balanced  some  time  between  principle  and  inclina- 
tion, till,  recollecting  that  when  the  fish  were  opened  I saw 
smaller  fish  taken  out  of  their  stomachs,  then,  thought  I, 

“ If  you  eat  one  another,  I don’t  see  why  we  may  not  eat 
you ; ” so  I dined  upon  cod  very  heartily,  and  have  since 
continued  to  eat  as  other  people,  returning  only  now  and 
then  occasionally  to  a vegetable  diet.  So  convenient  a ^ 
thing  it  is  to  be  a reasonable  creature^  since  it  enables  one  to 
find  or  make  a reason  for  every  thing  one  has  a mind  to 
do. 

Keimer  and  I lived  on  a pretty  good  familiar  footing, 
and  agreed  tolerably  well,  for  he  suspected  nothing  of  my 
setting  up.  He  retained  a great  deal  of  his  old  enthusiasm, 
and  loved  argumentation ; we  therefore  had  many  dispu- 
tations. I used  to  work  him  so  with  my  Socratic  method, 
and  had  trepanned  him  so  often  by  questions  apparently  so 
distant  from  any  point  we  had  in  hand,  yet  by  degrees 
leading  to  the  point,  and  bringing  him  into  difficulties  and 
contradictions,  that  at  last  he  grew  ridiculously  cautious, 
and  would  hardly  answer  me  the  most  common  question 
without  asking  first,  ‘‘  What  do  you  intend  to  infer  from 
that  ? ” However,  it  gave  him  so  high  an  opinion  of  my 
abilities  in  the  confuting  way,  that  he  seriously  proposed 
my  being  his  colleague  in  a project  he  had  of  setting  up 
a new  sect.  He  was  to  preach  the  doctrines,  and  I was  to 
confound  all  opponents.  WTien  he  came  to  explain  with 
me  upon  the  doctrines,  I found  several  conundrums,  which 
I objected  to  unless  I might  have  my  way  a little  too,  and 
introduce  some  of  mine. 

Keimer  wore  his  beard  at  full  length,  because  somewhera 
in  the  Mosaic  law  it  is  said,  “ Thou  shalt  not  mar  the  eornere 


44 


BENJAMIN  PEANELIN. 


1 


•/  thy  heard,^^  \ He  likewise  kept  the  seventh  day,  Sabbath ; 
and  these  two  points  were  essential  with‘%im.  I disliked 
both,  but  agreed  to  them  on  condition  of  his  adopting  the 
doctrine  of  not  using  animal  food.  “I  doubt,”  said  he, 
my  constitution  will  not  bear  it.”  I assured  bin)  it 
would,  and  that  he  would  be  the  better  for  it.  He  was 
usually  a g^reat  eater,  and  I wished  to  give  myself  some 
diversion  in  haK  starving  him.  He  consented  to  try  the 
practice,  if  I would  keep  him  company.  I did  so,  and  we 
^eld  it  for  three  months.  Our  provisions  were  purchased, 
cooked,  and  brought  to  us  regularly  by  a woman  in  the 
neighbourhood,  who  had  from  me  a list  of  forty  dishes, 
which  she  prepared  for  us  at  different  times,  in  which 
there  entered  neither  fish,  fiesh,  nor  fowl  This  whim 
suited  me  the  better  at  this  time  from  the  cheapness  of  it, 
not  costing  us  above  eighteen  pence  sterling  each  per  week. 

have  since  kept  several  Lents  most  strictly,  leaving  the 
common  diet  for  that,  and  that  for  the  common,-  abruptly, 
without  the  least  inconvenience ; so  that  I think  there  is 
little  in  the  advice  of  making  those  changes  by  easy  g^ra- 
dations.  I went  on  pleasantly,  but  poor  Keimer  suffered 
grievously,  grew  tired  of  the  project,  longed  for  the  flesh- 
pots  of  Egypt,  and  ordered  a roast  pig.  He  invited  me 
and  two  women  friends  to  dine  with  him;  but,  it  being 
brought  too  soon  upon  table,  he  could  not  resist  the  tempta- 
tion, and  ate  the  whole  before  we  came. 

I had  made  some  courtship  during  this  time  to  Miss 
Read.  I had  a great  respect  and  affection  for  her,  and  had 
some  reasons  to  believe  she  had  the  same  for  me ; but,  as  I 
was  about  to  take  a long  voyage,  and  we  were  both  very 
young,  only  a little  above  eighteen,  it  was  thought  most 
prudent  by  her  mother  to  prevent  our  going  too  far  at 
present;  as  a marriage,  if  it  were  to  take  place,  would  be 
more  convenient  after  my  ifetum,  when  I should  be,  as  I 


BENJAMnr  FEANKLnr. 


45 


hoped,  set  np  in  my  business.  Perhaps,  too,  she  thought 
my  expectations  not  so  well  founded  as  I imagined  them 
to  be.  ^ 

My  chief  acquaintances  at  this  time  were  Charles  Osborne, 
Joseph  Watson,  and  James  Ralph ; all  lovers  of  reading. 
The  two  first  were  clerks  to  an  eminent  scrivener  or 
conveyancer  in  the  town,  Charles  Brockden ; the  other  was 
a clerk  to  a merchant.  Watson  was  a pious,  sensible  young 
man,  of  great  integrity  ; the  others  rather  more  lax  in  their 
principles  of  religion,  particularly  Ralph,  who,  as  well  as 
Collins,  had  been  unsettled  by  me;  for  which  they  both 
made  me  suffer.  Osborne  was  sensible,  candid,  frank ; 
sincere  and  affectionate  to  his  friends ; but,  in  literary 
matters,  too  fond  of  criticism.  Ralph  was  ingenious, 
genteel  in  his  manners,  and  extremely  eloquent;  I think 
I never  knew  a prettier  talker.  Both  were  great  admirers 
of  poetry,  and  began  to  try  their  hands  in  little  pieces. 
Many  pleasant  walks  we  have  had  together  on  Sundays  in 
the  woods,  on  the  banks  of  the  Schuylkill,  where  we  read  to 
one  another,  and  conferred  on  what  we  had  read. 

Ralph  was  inclined  to  give  himself  up  entirely  to  poetry, 
not  doubting  that  he  might  make  great  profidency  in  it,  and 
even  make  his  fortune  by  it.  He  pretended  that  the  greatest 
poets  must,  when  they  first  began  to  write,  have  committed 
as  many  faults  as  he  did.  Osborne  endeavoured  to  dissuade 
him,  assured  him  he  had  no  genius  for  poetry,  and  ad- 
vised him  to  think  of  nothing  beyond  the  business  he  was 
bred  to  ; that  in  the  mercantile  way,  though  he  had  no  stock, 
he  might  by  his  diligence  and  punctuality  recommend  him- 
self to  employment  as  a factor,  and  in  time  acquire  where- 
with to  trade  on  his  own  account.  I approved  for  my  part 
the  amusing  one’s  self  with  poetry  now  and  then,  so  far  as  to 
Improve  one’s  language,  but  n^arther. 

On  thifl  it  was  proposed  tha^we  should  each  of  us,  at  out 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


4S 

next  meeting,  produce  a piece  of  our  own  composing,  in 
order  to  improve  by  our  mutual  observations,  criticisms, 
and  corrections.  As  language  and  expression  were  what  we 
had  in  view,  we  excluded  all  considerations  of  invention,  by 
agreeing  that  the  task  should  be  a version  of  the  eighteenth 
Psalm,  which  describes  the  descent  of  a Deity.  When  the 
time  of  our  meeting  drew  nigh,  Ralph  called  on  me  first, 
and  let  me  know  his  piece  was  ready.  I told  him  I had  been 
busy,  and,  having  little  inclination,  had  done  nothing.  He 
then  showed  me  his  piece  for  my  opinion,  and  I much 
approved  it,  as  it  appeared  to  me  to  have  great  merit. 

Now,”  said  he,  “ Osborne  never  will  allow  the  least  merit 
in  anything  of  mine,  but  makes  a thousand  criticisms  out  of 
mere  envy.  He  is  net  so  jealous  of  you;  I wish,  therefore, 
you  would  take  this  piece  and  produce  it  as  yours.  I will 
pretend  not  to  have  had  time,  and  so  produce  nothing.  We 
shall  then  hear  what  he  will  say  to  it.”  It  was  agreed, 
and  I immediately  transcribed  it,  that  it  might  appear  in 
my  own  hand. 

We  met.  Watson’s  performance  was  read  ; there  were 
some  beauties  in  it,  but  many  defects.  Osborne’s  was  read ; 
it  was  much  better.  Ralph  did  it  justice ; remarked  some 
faults,  but  applauded  the  beauties.  He  himself  had  nothing 
to  produce.  I was  backward,  seemed  desirous  of  being  ex- 
cused, had  not  had  sufficient  time  to  correct,  &c.  But  no 
excuse  could  be  admitted ; produce  I must.  It  was  read  and 
repeated.  Watson  and  Osborne  gave  up  the  contest,  and 
joined  in  applauding  it.  Ralph  only  made  some  criticisms, 
and  proposed  some  amendments ; but  I defended  my  text. 
Osborne  was  severe  against  Ralph,  and  told  me  he  was  no 
better  able  to  criticise  than  compose  verses.  As  these  two 
were  returning  home,  Osborne  expressed  himself  stiU  moro 
strongly  in  favour  of  what  he  thought  my  production ; hav- 
ing before  refrained,  as  he  iRd,  lest  I should  think  he  meant 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


47 


to  flatter  me.  “ But  who  would  have  imagined,*  ^ said  he,  **  that 
Franklin  was  capable  of  such  a performance ; such  painting, 
such  force,  such  fire ! He  has  even  improved  on  the  original. 
In  common  conversation  he  seems  to  have  no  choice  of 
words  ; he  hesitates  and  blunders,  and  yet,  good  God,  how  he 
writes  !’*  When  we  next  met,  Ralph  discovered  the  trick 
we  had  played,  and  Osborne  was  laughed  at. 

This  transaction  fixed  Ralph  in  his  resolution  of  becoming 
a poet.  I did  all  I could  to  dissuade  him  from  it,  but  he 
continued  scribbling  verses  till  Pope  cured  him.  He  became, 
however,  a pretty  good  prose  writter.  More  of  him  here- 
after. But,  as  I may  not  have  occasion  to  mention  the 
other  two,  I shall  just  remark  here,  that  Watson  died  in  my 
arms  a few  years  after,  much  lamented,  being  the  best  of 
our  set.  Osborne  went  to  the  West  Indies,  where  he  be- 
came an  eminent  lawyer  and  made  money,  buf  died  young. 
He  and  I had  made  a serious  agreement,  that  the  one  who 
happened  first  to  die  should,  if  possible,  make  a friendly 
visit  to  the  other,  and  acquaint  him  how  he  found  things  in 
that  separate  state.  But  he  never  fulfilled  his  promise. 

The  Governor,  seeming  to  like  my  company,  had  me  fre- 
quently at  his  house ; and  his  setting  me  up  was  always 
mentioned  as  a fixed  thing.  I was  to  take  with  me  letters 
recommendatory  to  a number  of  his  friends,  besides  the  letter 
of  credit  to  furnish  me  with  the  necessary  money  for  pur- 
chasing the  press,  types,  paper,  &c.  For  these  letters  I was 
appointed  to  call  at  different  times,  when  thej’’  were  to  be 
ready ; but  a future  time  was  still  named.  Thus  we  went  on 
till  the  ship — whose  departure,  too,  had  been  several  times 
postponed — was  on  the  point  of  sailing.  Then,  when  I called 
to  take  my  leave  and  receive  the  letters,  his  secretary,  Dr. 
Baird,  came  out  to  me  and  said  the  Governor  was  extremely 
busy  in  writing,  but  would  be  down  at  Newcastle  befora  tint 
ahip,  and  then  the  letters  would  be  delivered  to  me. 


IS 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


Ralph,  though  married,  and  having  one  child,  had  deters 
mined  to*  accompany  me  in  this  voyage.  It  was  thought  he 
intended  to  establish  a correspondence,  and  obtain  goods  to 
seh  on  commission  j but  I found  after,  that  having  some 
cause  of  discontent  with  his  wife’s  relations,  he  proposed  to 
leave  her  on  their  hands,  and  never  return  to  America. 
Having  taken  leave  of  my  friends,  and  exchanged  promises 
with  Miss  Read,  I quitted  Philadelphia  in  the  ship,  which 
anchored  at  Newcastle.  The  Governor  was  there;  but 
when  I went  to  his  lodging,  his  secretary  came  to  me  from 
him,  with  expressions  of  the  greatest  regret  that  he  could 
not  then  see  me,  being  enga  ged  in  business  of  the  utmost  im. 
portance ; but  that  he  would  send  the  letters  to  me  on  boai  d, 
wishing  me  heartily  a good  voyage  and  a speedy  return,  &c. 
I returned  on  board  a little  puzzled,  but  still  not  doubting. 


CHAPTER  in. 

Mr.  Andrew  Hamilton,  a celebrated  lawyer  of  Phila- 
delphia, had  taken  his  passage  in  the  same  ship  for  himself 
and  son,  with  Mr.  Denham,  a Quaker  merchant,  and  Messrs! 
Oniam  and  Russel,  masters  of  an  iron  work  in  Maryland, 
who  had  engaged  the  great  cabin  ; so  that  Ralph  and  I were 
forced  to  take  up  with  a berth  in  the  steerage,  and  none  on 
board  knowing  us,  were  considered  as  ordinary  persons. 
But  Mr.  Hamilton  and  his  son  (it  was  James,  since  Gover- 
nor) returned  from  Newcastle  to  Philadelphia ; the  father 
being  recalled  by  a great  fee  to  plead  for  a seized  ship. 
And,  just  before  we  sailed.  Colonel  French  coming  on 
board,  and  showing  me  great  respect,  I was  more  taken 
notice  of,  and,  with  my  friend  Ralph,  invited  by  the  otheir 


BENJAMIN  PBANKLIN.  4^ 

gentlemen  to  come  into  the  cabin,  there  being  now  room. 
Accordingly  we  removed  thither. 

Understanding  that  Colonel  French  had  brought  onboard 
the  Governor’s  despatches,  I asked  the  captain  for  those  let- 
ters that  were  to  be  under  my  care.  He  said  all  were  put 
into  the  bag  together  ; and  he  could  not  then  come  at  them ; 
but,  before  we  landed  in  England,  I should  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  picking  them  out ; so  T was  satisfied  for  the  pre- 
sent, and  we  proceeded  on  our  voyage.  We  had  a sociable 
company  in  the  cabin,  and  lived  uncommonly  well,  having 
the  addition  of  all  Mr.  Hamilton’s  stores,  who  had  laid  in 
plentifully.  In  this  passage  Mr.  Denham  contracted  a 
friendship  for  me  that  continued  during  his  life.  The  voyage 
was  otherwise  not  a pleasant  one,  as  we  had  a great  deal  of 
bad  weather. 

When  we  came  into  the  Channel,  the  captain  kept  hi® 
word  with  me,  and  gave  me  an  opportunity  of  examining 
the  bag  for  the  Governor’s  letters.  I found  some  upon  which 
my  name  was  put  as  under  my  care.  I picked  out  six  or 
seven,  that,  by  the  handwriting,  I thought  might  be  the 
promised  letters,  especially  as  one  of  them  was  addressed  to 
Baskett,  the  King’s  printer,  and  another  to  some  stationer. 
We  arrived  in  London  the  24th  December,  1724.  I waited 
upon  the  stationer,  who  came  first  in  my  way,  delivering 
the  letter  as  from  Governor  Keith.  I don’t  know  such  a 
person,”  said  he  ; but  opening  the  letter,  Oh  ! this  is  from 
Riddlesden-  I have  lately  found  him  to  be  a complete  ras- 
cal, and  I will  have  nothing  to  do  with  him,  nor  receive  any 
letters  from  him.”  So  putting  the  letter  into  my  hand,  he 
turned  on  his  heel  and  left  me  to  serve  some  customer.  I 
was  surprised  to  find  these  were  not  the  Governor’s  letters ; 
and,  after  recollecting  and  comparing  circumstances,  I 
began  to  doubt  his  sincerity.  I found  my  friend  Denham, 
and  opened  the  whole  affair  to  him.  He  let  me  into  Keith’& 


50 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


charac^  ar,  told  me  there  was  not  the  least  probability  that 
he  had  written  any  letters  for  me ; that  no  one  who  knew 
him  had  the  smallest  dependence  on  him ; and  he  laughed 
at  the  idea  of  the  Governor’s  giving  me  a letter  of  credit, 
having,  as  he  said,  no  credit  to  give.  On  my  expressiiig 
some  concern  about  what  I should  do,  he  advised  me  to  en- 
deavour getting  some  employment  im the  way  of  my  busi- 
ness. Among  the  printers  here,”  said  he,  “you  will 
improve  yourself,  and  when  you  return  to  America  you  will 
set  up  to  greater  advantage.  ” 

We  b®th  of  us  happened  to  know,  as  well  as  the  stationer, 
that  Eiddlesden,  the  attorney,  was  a very  knave.  He  had 
half  ruined  Miss  Read’s  father,  by  persuading  him  to  be 
bound  for  him.  By  his  letter  it  appeared  there  was  a secret 
scheme  on  foot  to  the  prejudice  of  IVIr.  Hamilton  (supposed 
to  be  then  coming  over  with  us) ; that  Keith  was  concerned 
in  it  with  Riddlesden.  Denham,  who  was  a friend  of 
Hamilton’s,  thought  he  ought  to  be  acquainted  with  it;  so, 
when  he  arrived  in  England,  which  was  soon  after,  partly 
from  resentment  and  ill  will  to  Keith  and  Riddlesden,  and 
partly  from  good  will  to  him,  I waited  on  him,  and  gave 
him  the  letter.  He  thanked  me  cordially,  the  information 
being  of  importance  to  him  ; and  from  that  time  he  became 
my  friend,  greatly  to  my  advantage  afterwards  on  many 
occasions. 

But  what  shall  we  think  of  a Governor  playing  such  piti- 
ful tricks,  and  imposing  so  grossly  on  a poor  ig^norant  boyl 
It  was  a habit  he  had  acquired.  He  wished  to  please  every- 
body ; and,  having  little  to  give,  he  gave  expectations.  He 
was  otherwise  an  ingenious,  sensible  man,  a pretty  good 
writer,  and  a good  Governor  for  the  people  ; though  not  foi' 
his  constituents,  the  Proprietaries,  whose  instructions  he 
sometimes  disregarded.  Several  of  our  best  laws  were  of 
his  planning,  and  passed  during  his  administratioB- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


51 


Ralph  and  I were  inseparable  companions.  We  took 
lodgings  together  in  Little  Britain  at  three  shillings  and 
sixpence  a week ; as  much  as  we  could  then  afford.  He 
found  some  relations,  but  they  were  poor,  and  unable  to 
assist  him.  He  now  let  me  know  his  intentions  of  re- 
maining in  London,  and  that  he  never  meant  to  return  to 
Philadelphia.  He  had  brought  no  money  with  him  ; the 
whole  he  could  muster  having  been  expended  in  paying  his 
passage.  I had  fifteen  pistoles ; so  he  borrowed  occasionally 
of  me  to  subsist,  while  he  was  looking  out  for  business.  He 
first  endeavoured  to  get  in  the  playhouse,  believing  himself 
qualified  for  an  actor ; but  Wilkes,*  to  whom  he  applied, 
advised  him  candidly  not  to  think  of  that  employment,  as  it 
was  impossible  he  should  succeed  in  it.  Then  he  proposed 
to  Roberts,  a publisher  in  Paternoster  Row,  to  write  for 
him  a weekly  paper  like  the  Spectator,  on  certain  conditions ; 
which  Roberts  did  not  approve.  Then  he  endeavoured  to 
get  employment  as  a hackney  writer,  to  copy  for  the 
stationers  and  lawj^ers  about  tho  Temple;  but  could  not 
find  a vacancy. 

For  myself,  I immediately  got  into  work  at  Palmer’s,  a 
famous  printing-house  in  Bartholomew  Close,  where  I con- 
tinued near  a year.  I was  pretty  diligent,  but  I spent  with 
Ralph  a good  deal  of  my  earnings  at  plays  and  public  amuse- 
ments. We  had  nearly  consumed  all  my  pistoles,  and  now 
just  rubbed  on  from  hand  to  mouth.  He  seemed  quite  to 
have  forgotten  his  wife  and  child ; and  I by  degrees  my  en- 
gagements with  Miss  Read,  to  whom  I never  wrote  more 
than  one  letter,  and  that  was  to  let  her  know  I was  not 
likely  soon  to  return.  This  was  pother  of  the  great  errata 
of  my  life,  which  I could  wish  to  correct,  if  I were  to  live 
it  over  again.  In  fact,  by  our  expenses,  I was  constantly 
kept  nnable  to  pay  my  passage. 

* A comedian  of  eminenoe. 


62 


BEKJAMIN  FRANKLIir. 


At  Palmer’s  I was  employed  in  composing  for  the  second 
edition  of  Wollaston’s  Religion  of  Nature,  Some  of  his 
reasonings  not  appearing  to  me  well  founded,  I wrote  a 
little  metaphysical  piece  in  which  I made  remarks  on  them. 
It  was  entitled,  A Dissertation  on  Liberty  and  Necessity^ 
Pleasure  and  Pain.  I inscribed  it  to  my  friend  Ralph ; I 
printed  a small  number.  It  occasioned  my  being  more  con- 
sidered by  Mr.  Palmer,  as  a young  man  of  some  ingenuity, 
though  he  seriously  expostulated  with  me  upon’  the  prin- 
ciples of  my  pamphlet,  which  to  him  appeared  abominable. 
My  printing  this  pamphlet  was  another  erratum.  While  I 
lodged  in  Little  Britain,  I made  an  acquaintance  with  on© 
Wilcox,  a bookseller,  whose  shop  was  next  door.  He  had 
an  immense  collection  of  second-hand  books.  Circulating 
libraiies  were  not  then  in  use : but  we  agreed,  that,  on  cer- 
tain reasonable  terms,  which  I have  now  forgotten,  I might 
take,  read,  and  return  any  of  his  books.  Tliis  I esteemed  a 
great  advantage,  and  I made  as  much  use  of  it  as  I could. 

My  pamphlet  by  some  means  falling  into  the  hands  of 
one  Lyons,  a surgeon,  author  of  a book  entitled,  “ The 
Infallibility  of  Human  Judgment^  ” it  occasioned  an  acquain- 
tance between  us.  He  took  great  notice  of  me,  called  on 
me  often  to  converse  on  those  subjects,  carried  me  to  the 
Homs,  a pale  alehouse  in Lane,  Cheapside,  and  intro- 

duced me  to  Dr.  Mandeville,  author  of  the  “ Fable  of  the 
BeeSf'  who  had  a club  there,  of  which  he  was  the  soul ; 
being  a most  facetious,  entertaining  companion.  Lvons  too 
introduced  me  to  Dr.  Pemberton,  at  Batson’s  Coffee-house, 
who  promised  to  give  me  an  opportunity,  some  time  or 
other,  of  seeing  Sir  Isaac  Hewton,  of  which  I was  extremely 
desirous ; but  this  never  happened. 

I had  brought  over  a few  curiosities,  among  which  the 
principal  was  a purse  made  of  the  asbestosy  which  purifies  by 
fire.  Sir  Hans  Sloane  heard  of  it,  came  to  see  me,  aad 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


59 


Invified  me  to  his  house  in  Bloomsbury  Square,  showed  me  all 
his  curiosities,  and  persuaded  me  to  add  that  to  the  number ; 
for  which  ho  paid  me  handsomely. 

In  our  house  lodged  a young  woman,  a milliner,  who,  I 
think,  had  a shop  in  the  Cloisters.  She  had  been  genteeiy 
bred,  was  sensible,  lively,  and  of  a most  pleasing  conversa- 
tion. Ralph  read  plays  to  her  in  the  evenings,  they  grew 
intimate,  she  took  another  lodging,  and  he  followed  her. 
They  lived  together  some  time ; but  he  being  still  out  of 
business,  and  her  income  not  sufficient  to  maintain  them 
with  her  child,  he  took  a resolution  of  going  from  London, 
to  try  for  a country  school,  which  he  thought  himself  well 
qualified  to  undertake,  as  he  wrote  an  excellent  hand,  and 
was  a master  of  arithmetic  and  accounts.  This,  however, 
he  deemed  a business  below  him,  and,  confident  of  future 
better  fortune,  when  he  should  be  unwilling  to  have  it  known 
that  he  once  was  so  meanly  employed,  he  changed  his  name, 
and  did  me  the  honour  to  assume  mine ; for  I soon  after 
had  a letter  from  him,  acquainting  me  that  he  was  settled  in 
a small  village  (in  Berkshire,  I think  it  was,  where  he 
taught  reading  and  writing  to  ten  or  a dozen  boys,  at  six- 
pence each  per  week),  recommending  Mrs.  * T— — to  my 
care,  and  desiring  me  to  write  to  him,  directing  for  Mr, 
Franklin^  schoolmaster,  at  such  a place. 

Ho  continued  to  write  to  me  frequently,  sending  me  large 
specimens  of  an  epic  poem,  which  he  was  then  composing, 
and  desiring  my  remarks  and  corrections.  These  I gave  him 
from  time  to  time,  but  endeavoured  rather  to  discourage  his 
proceeding.  One  of  Young’s  Satires  was  then  just  pub- 
lished. I copied  and  sent  him  a great  part  of  it,  which  set 
in  a strong  light  the  folly  of  pursuing  the  Muses.  All  was 
in  vain ; sheets  of  the  poem  continued  to  come  by  every 
post.  In  the  meantime,  Mrs.  T — ~ , having  on  his  ac- 
count lost  ker  friends  and  business,  was  often  in  distressest 


u 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


and  used  to  send  for  me,  and  borrow  what^  money  I could 
•pare  to  help  to  alleviate  them.  I grew  fond  of  her 
company,  and,  being  at  that  time  under  no  religious  re- 
straint, and  taking  advantage  of  my  importance  to  her,  I 
attempted  to  take  some  liberties  with  her  (another  erratum)^ 
which  she  repulsed,  with  a proper  degree  of  resentment. 
She  wrote  to  Ralph  and  acquainted  him  with  my  conduct ; 
this  occasioned  a breach  between  us ; and,  when  he  returned 
to  London,  he  let  me  know  he  considered  all  the  obligations 
he  had  been  under  to  me  as  annulled  ; , from  which  I con- 
cluded I was  never  to  expect  his  repaying  the  money  I had 
lent  him,  or  that  I had  advanced  for  him.  This,  however, 
was  of  little  consequence,  as  he  was  totally  unable ; and  by 
the  loss  of  his  friendship  I found  myself  relieved  from  a 
heavy  burden.  I now  began  to  think  of  fgetting  a little 
beforehand,  and,  expecting  better  employment,  I left  Pal- 
mer’s to  work  at  Watts’s,  near  Lincoln’s  Inn  Fields,  a still 
greater  printing-house.  Here  I continued  all  the  rest  of  my 
stay  in  London. 

At  my  first  admission  into  the  printing-house  I took  to 
working  at  press,  imagining  I felt  a want  of  the  bodily 
exercise  I had  been  used  to  in  America,  where  press- work  is 
mixed  with  the  composing.  I drank  only  water ; the  other 
workmen,  near  fifty  in  number,  were  great  drinkers  of  beer. 
On  occasion  I carried  up  and  down  stairs  a large  forme  of 
types  in  each  hand,  when  others  carried  but  one  in  both 
hands.  They  wondered  to  see,  from  this  and  several 
instances,  that  the  TFater-American^  as  they  called  me,  was 
ntronger  than  themselves,  who  drank  strong  beer ! We  had 
an  alehouse  boy,  who  attended  always  in  the  house  to  supply 
the  workmen.  My  companion  at  the  press  drank  every 
day  a pint  before  breakfast,  a pint  at  breakfast  with  his 
bread  and  cheese,  a pint  between  breakfast  and  dinner,  a 
pint  at  dinner,  a pint  in  the  afternoon  about  sir  o’clock,  and 

# 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


55 


another  vhen  he  had  done  his  day’s  work.  I thought  it  a 
detestable  custom;  hut  it  was  necessary,  he  supposed,  to 
drink  strong  beer  that  he  might  be  strong  to  labour.  I en- 
deavoured to  convince  him,  that  the  bodily  strength  afforded 
by  beer  could  only  be  in  proportion  to  the  grain  or  flour  of 
the  barley  dissolved  in  the  water  of  whii  h it  was  made ; 
that  there  was  more  flour  in  a pennyworth  of  bread  ; and 
therefore,  if  he  could  eat  that  with  a pint  of  water,  it  would 
give  him  more  strength  than  a quart  of  beer.  He  drank  on, 
however,  and  had  four  or  five  shillings  to  pay  out  of  his 
wages  every  Saturday  night  for  that  vile  liquor  ; an  expense 
I was  free  from.  And  thus  these  poor  devils  keep  them- 
selves always  under. 

Watts,  after  some  weeks,  desiring  to  have  me  in  the 
composing-room,  I left  the  press- men  ; a new  hien  venu  for 
drink,  being  five  shillings,  was  demanded  of  me  by  the 
compositors.  I thought  it  an  imposition,  as  I had  paid  one 
to  the  press-men ; the  master  thought  so  too,  and  forbade 
,yny  paying  it.  I stood  out  two  or  three  weeks,  was  accord- 
ingly considered  as  San  excommunicate,  and  had  so  many 
little  pieces  of  private  malice  practised  on  me,  by  mixing 
my  sorts,  transposing  and  breaking  my  matter,  &c.,  &c.,  if 
ever  I stepped  out  of  the  room ; and  all  ascribed  to  the 
chapel  ghost^  which  they  said  ever  haunted  those  not  regu- 
larly admitted;  that,  notwithstanding  the  master’s  pro- 
tection, I found  myself  obliged  to  comply  and  pay  the 
money ; convinced  of  the  folly  of  being  on  ill  terms  with 
those  one  is  to  live  with  continually. 

I was  now  on  a fair  footing  with  them,  and  soon  acquired 
considerable  influence.  I proposed  some  reasonable  altera- 
tions in  the  chapel  * laws,  and  carried  them  against  aU  oppo- 
■ition.  From  my  example,  a great  many  of  them  left  theif 
muddling  breakfast  of  beer,  bread,  and  cheese,  finding  they 
* A printing-house  is  called  a chapel  by  the  workmen* 


56 


BENJAMIN  PBANKLIN. 


could  Trith  me  be  supplied  from  a neighbouring  house  with 
a large  porringer  of  hot  water-gruel,  sprinkled  with  pepper, 
crumbled  with  bread,  and  a bit  of  butter  in  it,  for  the  price 
of  a pint  of  beer,  viz.  three  halfpence.  This  was  a more 
comfortable  as  well  as  a cheaper  breakfast,  and  kept  their 
heads  clearer.  Those,  who  continued  sotting  with  their  beer 
all  day,  were  often,  by  not  paying,  out  of  credit  at  the  ale- 
house, and  used  to  make  interest  with  me  to  get  beer ; their 
lighty  as  they  phrased  it,  hexng  out,  I watched  the  pay-table 
on  Saturday  night,  and  collected  what  I stood  engaged  for 
them,  having  to  pay  sometimes  near  thirty  shillings  a week 
on 'their  accounts.  This,  and  my  being  estimated  a pretty 
good  riggitey  that  is,  a jocular  verbal  satirist,  supported  my 
consequence  in  the  society.  My  constant  attendance  (I 
never  making  a St.  Monday)  recommended  me  to  the  master » 
and  my  uncommon  quicknese  at  composing  occasioned  my 
being  put  upon  work  of  despatch,  which  was  generally  better 
paid.  So  I went  on  now  very  agreeably. 

^ly  lodgings  in  Little  Britain  being  too  remote,  I found 
another  in  Duke  Street,  opposite  to  the  Romish  Chapel.  It 
was  up  three  pair  of  stairs  backwards,  at  an  Italian  ware- 
house. A widow  lady  kept  the  house  : she  had  a daughter, 
and  a maid-servant,  and  a journeyman  who  attended  the 
warehouse,  but  lodged  abroad.  After  sending  to  inquire  my 
character  at  the  house  where  I last  lodged,  she  agreed  to 
take  me  in  at  the  same  rate — three  shillings  and  sixpence  a 
week ; cheaper,  as  she  said,  from  the  protection  she  expected 
in  having  a man  to  lodge  in  the  house.  She  was  a widow, 
an  elderly  woman;  had  been  baed  a Protestant,  being  a 
clergyman’s  daughter,  but  was  converted  to  the  Catholic 
religion  by  her  husband,  whose  memory  she  much  revered ; 
had  lived  much  among  people  of  distinction,  and  knew  a 
thousand  anecdotes  of  them  as  far  back  as  the  time  of 
Charles  II.  She  was  lame  in  her  knees  with  the  gout,  and 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


57 


therefore  seldom  stirred  out  of  her  room,  so  sometimes 
wanted  company ; and  hers  was  so  highly  amusing  to  me, 
that  I was  sure  to  spend  an  evening  with  her  whenever  she 
desired  it.  Our  supper  was  only  half  an  anchovy  each,  on  a 
very  little  slice  of  bread  and  butter,  and  half  a pint  of  ale 
between  us ; but  the  entertainment  was  in  her  conversation. 
My  always  keeping  good  hours,  and  giving  little  trouble  in 
the  family,  made  her  unwilling  to  part  with  me ; so  that 
when  I talked  of  a lodging  I had  heard  of,  nearer  my 
business,  for  two  shillings  a week  (which,  intent  as  I was 
on  saving  money,  made  some  difference),  she  bid  me  not 
think  of  it,  for  she  would  abate  me  two  shillings  a week 
for  the  future ; so  I remained  with  her  at  one  shilling  and 
sixpence  as  long  as  I stayed  in  London. 

In  a garret  of  her  house  there  lived  a maiden  lady  of 
seventy,  in  the  most  retired  manner,  of  whom  my  landlady 
gave  me  this  account : — that  she  was  a Roman  Catholic ; had 
been  sent  abroad  when  young,  and  lodged  in  a nunnery, 
with  an  intent  of  becoming  a nun;  but,  the  country  not 
agreeing  with  her,  she  returned  to  England,  where,  there 
being  no  nunnery,  she  had  vowed  to  lead  the  life  of  a nun, 
as  near  as  might  be  done  in  those  circumstances.  Accord- 
ingly, she  had  given  all  her  estate  to  charitable  purposes, 
reserving  only  twelve  pounds  a year  to  live  on ; and  out  of 
this  sum  she  still  gave  a part  in  charity,  living  herself  on 
water- gruel  only,  and  using  no  fire  but  to  boil  it.  She  had 
lived  many  years  in  that  garret,  being  permitted  to  remain 
there  gratis  by  successive  Catholic  tenants  of  the  house 
below,  as  they  deemed  it  a blessing  to  have  her  there.  A 
priest  visited  her,  to  confess  her  every  day.  “ From  this  I 
asked  her,”  said  my  landlady,  how  she,  as  she  lived,  could 
possibly  find  so  much  employment  for  a confessor  ? ” 
“ Oh ! ” said  she,  “ it  is  impossible  to  avoid  vain  thoughts y 
I was  permitted  once  to  visit  her.  She  was  cheerful  and 


58 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIW. 


polite,  and  conversed  pleasantly.  The  room  was  clean,  bnt 
had  no  other  furniture  than  a mattress,  a table  with  a cruci- 
fix and  a hook,  a stool  which  she  gave  me  to  sit  on,  and  a 
picture,  over  the  chimney,  of  St.  Veronica  displaying  her 
handkerchief,  with  the  miraculous  figure  of  Christ’s  bleeding 
face  on  it,  which  she  explained  to  me  with  great  seriousness. 

She  looked  pale,  but  was  never  sick ; and  I give  it  aa 
another  instance,  on  how  small  an  income  life  and  health 
may  he  supported. 

At  Watts’s  printing-house  I contracted  an  acquaintance 
with  an  ingenious  young  man,  one  Wygate,  who,  having 
wealthy  relations,  had  been  better  educated  than  most 
printers ; was  a tolerable  Latinist,  spoke  French,  and  loved 
reading.  I taught  him  and  a friend  of  his  to  swum,  at 
twice  going  into  the  river,  and  they  soon  became  good 
swimmers.  They  introduced  me  to  some  gentlemen  from 
the  country,  who  went  to  Chelsea  by  water,  to  see  the 
college  and  Don  Saltero’s  cuiuosities.  In  our  return,  at 
the  request  of  the  company,  whose  curiosity  Wygate 
had  excited,  I stripped  and  leaped  into  the  river,  and 
swam  from  near  Chelsea  to  Blackfriars ; performing  in 
the  way  many  feats  of  activity,  both  upon  and  under  the 
water,  that  surprised  j>ud  pleased  those  to  whom  they  were 
novelties. 

1 had,  from  a child,  been  delighted  with  this  exercise, 
had  studied  and  practised  Thevenot’s  motions  and  positions, 
and  added  some  of  my  own,  aiming  at  the  graceful  and 
easy  as  well  as  the  useful.  All  these  I took  this  occasion  of 
exhibiting  to  the  company,  and  was  much  flattered  by 
their  admiration ; and  Wygate,  who  was  desirous  of  be- 
coming a master,  grew  more  and  more  attached  to  me  on 
that  account,  as  well  as  from  the  similarity  of  our  studies. 
He  at  length  proposed  to  me  travelling  all  over  Europe  to- 
gether, supporting  ourselves  everywhere  by  working  at  ouf 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


59 


business . I was  once  inclined  to  it,  but  mentioning  it  to 
my  good  friend  Mr.  Denham,  with  whom  I often  spent  an 
hour  when  I had  leisure,  he  dissuaded  me  from  it,  advising 
me  to  think  only  of  returning  to  Pennsylvania,  which  he 
was  now  about  to  do. 

I must  record  one  trait  of  this  good  man’s  character.  He 
had  formerly  been  in  business  at  Bristol,  but  failed  in  debt 
to  a number  of  people,  compounded,  and  went  to  America. 
There,  by  a close  application  to  business  as  a merchant,  he 
acquired  a plentiful  fortune  in  a few  years.  Returning  to 
England  in  the  ship  with  me,  he  invited  his  old  creditors  to 
\n  entertainment,  at  which  he  thanked  them  for  the  easy 
(‘.omposition  they  had  favoured  him  with;  and,  when  they 
expected  nothing  but  the  treat,  every  man,  at  the  first  re- 
move, found  under  his  plate  an  order  on  a banker  for  the 
full  amount  of  the  unpaid  remaider,  with  interest. 

He  now  told  me  he  was  about  to  return  to  Philadelphia, 
and  should  carry  over  a great  quantity  of  goods,  in  order  to 
open  a store  there.  He  proposed  to  take  me  over  as  his 
clerk,  to  keep  his  books — in  which  he  would  instruct  me — 
copy  his  letters,  and  attend  the  store.  He  added,  that,  as 
soon  as  I should  be  acquainted  with  mercantile  business,  he 
would  promote  me  by  sending  me  with  a cargo  of  flour  and 
bread  to  the  West  Indies,  and  procure  me  commissions  from 
others  which  would  be  profitable,  and,  if  I managed  well, 
would  establish  me  handsomely.  The  thing  pleased  me,  for 
I was  grown  tired  of  London,  remembered  with  pleasure  the 
happy  months  I had  spent  in  Pennsylvania,  and  wished 
again  to  see  it.  Therefore  I immediately  agreed,  on  the 
terms  of  fifty  pounds  a year,  Pennsylvania  money ; less,  in- 
deed, than  my  then  present  gettings  as  a compositor,  but  af- 
fording a better  prospect. 

I now  took  leave  of  printing,  as  I thought,  for  ever,  and 
was  daily  employed  in  my  new  business,  going  about  with 


fSQ 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


Mr.  Denham  among  the  tradesmen  to  purchase  Tarioui 
articles,  and  see  them  packed  up,  delivering  messages, 
calling  upon  workmen  to  despatch,  &c. ; and  when  all  was 
on  board,  I had  a few  days’  leisure.  On  one  of  these  days, 
,I  was,  to  my  surprise,  sent  for  by  a great  man  I knew  only 
‘by  name.  Sir  William  Wyndham,  and  I waited  upon  him. 
He  had  heard,  by  some  means  or  other,  of  my  swimming 
from  Chelsea  to  Blackfriars,  and  of  my  teaching  Wygate 
,and  another  young  man  to  swim  in  a few  hours.  He  had 
two  sons,  about  to  set  out  on  their  travels ; he  wished  to 
.have  them  first  taught  swimming,  and  proposed  to  gratify 
,me  handsomely  if  I would  teach  them.  They  were  not  yet 
come  to  town,  and  my  stay  was  uncertain,  so  I could  not 
undertake  it.  But  from  the  incident  I thought  it  Hkely, 
that  if  I were  to  remain  in  England,  and  open  a swimming- 
school,  I might  get  a good  deal  of  money  ; and  it  struck  me 
80  strongly,  that,  had  the  overture  been  made  me  sooner. 


Many  years  after,  you  and  I had  something  of  more  im- 
portance to  do  with  one  of  these  sons  of  Sir  William 
Wyndham,  become  Earl  of  Egremont,  which  I shall  men- 
tion in  its  place. 

Thus  I passed  about  eighteen  months  in  London ; most 
part  of  the  time  I worked  hard  at  my  business,  and  spent 
but  little  upon  myself,  except  in  seeing  plays,  and  in  books. 
My  friend  Ralph  had  kept  me  poor.  He  owed  me  about 
twenty-seven  pounds,  which  I was  now  never  likely  t©  re- 
ceive ; a great  sum  out  of  my  small  earnings  ! I loved  him, 
notwithstanding,  for  he  had  many  amiable  qualities.  I had 
improved  my  knowledge,  however,  though  I had  by  no 
means  improved  my  fortune  ; but  I had  made  some  very  in- 
genious acquaintance,  whose  conversation  was  of  great  ad- 
vantage to  me,  and  I had  read  considerably. 


I should  not  so  soon  have  returned  to  America. 


BENJAMIN  JBANKLIV. 


a 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Wb  Bailed  from  Gravesend  on  the  23rd  of  July,  1726.  For 
the  incidents  of  the  voyage,  I refer  you  to  my  journal, 
where  you  will  find  them  all  minutely  related.  Perhaps  the 
most  important  part  of  that  journal  is  the  plan*  to  be  found 
in  it,  which  I formed  at  sea,  for  regulating  the  future  con- 
duct of  my  life.  It  is  the  more  remarkable,  as  being  formed 
when  I was  so  young,  and  yet  being  pretty  faithfully  ad- 
hered to  quite  through  to  old  age. 

We  landed  at  Philadelphia  the  11th  of  October,  where  I 
found  sundry  alterations.  Keith  was  no  longer  Governor, 
being  superseded  by  Major  Gordon ; I met  him  walking  the 
streets  as  a common  citizen.  He  seemed  a little  ashamed  at 
seeing  me,  and  passed  without  saying  anything.  I should 
have  been  as  much  ashamed  at  seeing  Miss  Read,  had  not 
her  friends,  despairing  with  reason  ol  my  return,  after  the 
receipt  of  my  letter,  persuaded  her  to  marry  another,  one 
Rogers,  a potter,  which  was  done  in  my  absence.  With, 
him,  however,  she  was  never  happy,  and  soon  parted  from 
him,  refusing  to  cohabit  with  him  or  bear  his  name,  it  being 
liow  said  he  had  another  wife.  He  was  a worthless  fellow, 
though  an  excellent  workman,  which  was  the  temptation  to 
her  friends.  He  got  into  debt,  ran  away  in  1727  or  1728, 
went  to  the  West  Indies,  and  died  there.  Keimer  had  got 
a better  house,  a shop  well  supplied  with  stationery,  plenty 
of  new  types,  and  a number  of  hands,  though  none  good,  and 
ieemed  to  have  a great  deal  of  business. 

Mr.  Denham  took  a store  in  Water  Street,  where  we 

• This  plan  does  not  exist  in  the  manuscript  Journal  found 
among  Dr.  Franklin's  papers,  which  appears,  by  a note  thereon, 
to  be  a **  citpy  mad^  at  Beading,  in  Pennsylvania,  October  2nd,  1787.* 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


opened  our  goods ; I attended  the  business  diligently,  studied 
accounts,  and  grew,  in  a little  time,  expert  at  selling.  We 
lodged  and  boarded  together  ; be  counselled  me  as  a father, 
having  a sincere  regard  for  me.  I respected  and  loved 
him,  and  we  might  have  gone  on  together  very  happily, 
but,  in  the  beginning  of  February,  1727,  when  I had  just 
passed  my  twenty-first  year,  we  both  were  taken  ill.  My 
distemper  was  a pleurisy,  which  very  nearly  carried  me 
off.  I suffered  a good  deal,  gave  up  the  point  in  my 
own  mind,  and  was  at  the  time  rather  disappointed  when 
I found  myself  recovering;  regi'etting,  in^some  degree, 
that  I must  now,  some  time  or  other,  have  all  that  disagree- 
able work  to  go  over  again.  I forget  what  Mr.  Denham’s 
distemper  was;  it  held  him  a long  time,  and  at  length 
carried  him  ofle.  He  left  me  a small  legacy  in  a nuncu- 
pative will,  as  a token  of  his  kindness  for  me,  and  he  left 
me  once  more  to  the  wide  world ; for  the  store  was  taken 
into  the  care  of  his  executors,  and  my  employment  under 
him  ended. 

^ly  brother-in-law.  Holmes,  being  now  at  Philadelphia, 
advised  my  return  to  my  business;  and  Keimer  tempted  me, 
with  an  offer  of  large  wages  by  the  year,  to  come  and  take 
the  management  of  his  pi  intiug-house,  that  he  might  better 
attend  to  his  stationer’s  shop.  I had  heard  a bad  character 
of  him  in  London  from  his  wife  and  her  friends,  and  was 
not  for  having  any  more  to  do  with  him.  I wished  for  em- 
ployment as  a merchant’s  clerk,  but,  not  meeting  with  any, 
I closed  again  with  Keimer.  I found  in  his  house  these 
hands : Hugh  Meredith,  a Welsh  Pennsylvanian,  thirty 
years  of  age,  bred  to  country  work  ; he  was  honest,  sensible, 
a man  of  experience,  and  fond  of  reading,  but  addicted  to 
drinking.  Stephen  Potts,  a young  countryman  of  full  age, 
bred  to  the  same,  of  uncommon  natural  parts,  and  great  wit 
and  humour,  but  a little  idle.  Those  he  bad  agreed  with| 


BENJAMIN  FRANEXIN. 


63 


•t  extremo  low  wages  per  week,  to  be  raised  a shilling 
•Tery  three  months,  as  they  would  deserve  by  improving  in 
their  business  \ and  the  expectation  of  these  high  wages,  to 
oome  on  hereafter,  was  what  he  had  drawn  them  in  with. 
Meredith  was  to  work  at  press,  Potts  at  bookbinding,  which 
he,  by  agreement,  was  to  teach  them,  though  he  knew 
neither  one  nor  the  other.  John  — — , a wild  Irishman, 
brought  up  to  no  business,  whose  service,  for  four  years, 
Keimer  had  purchased  from  the  captain  of  a ship  ; he,  too, 
was  to  be  made  a pressman  ; George  Webb,  an  Oxford 
scholar,  whose  time,  for  four  years,  he  had  likewise  bought, 
intending  him  for  a compositor,  of  whom  more  presently ; 
and  David  Harry,  a country  boy,  whom  he  had  taken  ap- 
prentice. 

I soon  perceived  that  the  intention  of  engaging  me  at 
wages  ao  much  higher  than  he  had  been  used  to  give,  was  to 
have  these  raw  cheap  hands  formed  through  mo ; and  as 
soon  as  I had  instructed  them,  they  being  all  articled  to  him, 
he  should  be  able  to  do  without  me.  I went,  however,  very 
cheerfully,  put  his  printing  house  in  order,  which  had  been 
in  great  confusion,  and  brought  his  hands  by  degrees  to 
mind  their  business  and  to  do  it  better. 

^ It  was  an  odd  thing  to  find  an  Oxford  scholar  in  the 
situation  of  a bought  servant.  He  was  not  more  than  eigh- 
teen years  of  age,  and  he  gave  me  this  account  of  himself : 
that  he  w^  bom  in  Gloucester,  educated  at  a grammar 
school,  and  had  been  distinguished  among  his  scholars  for 
some  apparent  superiority  in  performing  his  part  when  they 
exMbited  plays ; belonged  to  the  Wits’  Club  there,  and  had 
mitten  some  pieces  in  prose  and  verse,  which  were  printed 
in  the  Gloucester  newspapers.  Thence  was  sent  to  Oxford; 
there  he  continued  about  a year,  but  not  well  satisfied; 
wishing  of  all  things  to  see  London,  and  become  a player. 
At  length  receiving  his  quarterly  allowance  of  fifteen  guineas, 


64 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


instead  of  discharging  his  debts,  he  went  out  of  town,  hid 
his  gown  in  a furze  bush,  and  walked  to  London ; wheroi 
having  no  friend  to  advise  him,  he  fell  into  had  company, 
soon  spent  his  guineas,  found  no  means  of  being  introduced 
among  the  players,  grew  necessitous,  pawned  his  clothes, 
and  wanted  bread.  Walking  the  street  very  hungry,  not 
knowing  what  to  do  with  himself,  a crimp’s  bill  was  put 
into  his  hand,  offering^  immediate  entertainment  and 
encouragement  to  such  as  would  bind  themselves  to  serve  in 
America.  He  w ent  directly,  signed  the  indentures,  was  put 
into  the  ship  and  came  over ; never  writing  a line  to  his 
friends  to  acquaint  them  what  was  become  of  him.  He  was 
lively,  witty,  good-natured,  and  a pleasant  companion ; but 
idle,  thoughtless,  and  imprudent  to  the  last  degree. 

John,  the  Irishman,  soon  ran  away ; with  the  rest  I began 
to  live  very  agreeably,  for  they  all  respected  me  the  more, 
as  they  found  Keimer  incapable  of  instructing  them,  and 
that  from  me  they  learned  something  daily.  My  acquaint- 
ance with  ingenious  people  in  the  town  increased.  We 
never  worked  on  Saturday,  that  being  Keimer ’s  Sabbath,  so 
that  I had  two  days  for  reading.  Keinaer  himself  treated 
ine  with  great  civility  and  apparent  regard,  and  nothing 
now  made  me  uneasy  but  my  debt  to  Vernon,  v/hich  I was 
yet  unable  to  pay,  being  hitherto  but  a poor  economist.  He, 
however,  kindly  made  no  demand  of  it. 

Our  printing  house  often  wanted  sorts,  and  there  was  no 
letter-foundry  in  America  ; I had  seen  types  cast  at  James’s 
in  London,  but  without  much  attention  to  the  manner ; how- 
ever, I contrived  a mould,  and  made  use  of  the  letters  we 
had  as  puncheons,  struck  the  matrixes  in  lead,  and  thus 
supplied  in  a pretty  tolerable  way  all  deficiencies.  I also 
engraved  several  things  on  occasion ; made  the  ink  ; I was 
warehouseman;  and,  in  short,  quite  o.  fae-totum. 

But,  however  serviceable  I might  be,  I found  that  my 


BBNJAMIN  FBANELnr. 


«5 


Mrrlo68*l)e6ame  every  day  of  less  importance,  as  the  other 
hands  improved  in  their  business ; and,  when  Keimer  paid 
me  a second  quarter’s  wages,  he  let  me  know  that  he  felt 
them  too  heavy,  and  thought  I should  make  an  abatement. 
He  grew  by  degrees  less  civil,  put  on  more  the  airs  of  master, 
frequently  found  fault,  was  captious,  and  seemed  ready  for 
ui  outbreaking.  I went  on  nevertheless  with  a good  deal  of 
patience,  thinking  that  his  encumbered  circumstances  were 
partly  the  cause.  At  length  a trifle  snapped  our  connection ; 
for,  a great  noise  happening  near  the  court-house,  I put  my 
head  out  of  the  window  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  Keimer, 
being  in  the  street,  looked  up  and  saw  me,  called  out  to  me 
in^a  loud  voice  and  angry  tone  to  mind  my  business ; adding 
some  reproachful  words,  that  nettled  me  the  more  for  their 
publicity ; all  the  neighbours  who  were  looking  out  on  the 
same  occasion  being  witnesses  how  I was  treated.  He  came 
np  immediately  into  the  printing-house ; continued  the 
quarrel,  high  words  passed  on  both  sides,  he  gave  me  the 
quarter’s  warning  we  had  stipulated,  expressing  a wish  that 
he  had  not  been  obliged  to  give  so  long  a warning.  I told  binn 
his  wish  was  unnecessary,  for  I would  leave  him  that  instant ; 
and  so  taking  my  hat  walked  out  of  doors,  desiring  Mere- 
dith, whom  I saw  below,  to  take  care  of  some  things  I left, 
and  bring  them  to  my  lodgings. 

Meredith  came  accordingly  in  the  evening,  when  we 
talked  my  affair  over.  He  had  conceived  a great  regard  for 
me,  and  was  very  unwilling  that  I should  leave  the  house 
while  he  remained  in  it.  He  dissuaded  me  from  returning 
to  my  native  country,  which  I began  to  think  of ; he  re- 
minded me  that  Keimer  was  in  debt  for  all  he  possessed, 
that  his  creditors  began  to  be  uneasy;  that  he  kept  hia 
ihop  miserably,  sold  often  without  a profit  for  ready  money, 
and  often  trusted  without  keeping  accounts ; that  he  must 
therefore  fail,  which  would  make  a vacancy  I might  profit 
C 


e6 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


of.  I objected  my  want  of  money.  He  then  let  me  know 
that  his  father  had  a high  opinion  of  me,  and,  from  some 
discourse  that  had  passed  between  them  he  was  sure 
would  advance  money  to  set  me  up,  if  I would  enter  into 
partnership  with  him.  “ My  time,”  said  he,  “ will  be  out 
with  Keimer  in  the  spring ; by  that  time  we  may  have  jouk 
press  and  types  in  from  London.  I am  sensible  I am  no  work- 
man ; if  you  like  it  your  skill  in  the  business  shall  be  set 
against  the  stock  I furnish,  and  we  will  share  the  profits 
equally.” 

The  proposal  was  agreeable  to  me,  and  I consented ; his 
father  was  in  town,  and  approved  of  it ; the  more  as  he  said 
i had  great  influence  with  his  son,  had  prevailed  on  him  to 
abstain  long  from  dram-drinking,  and  he  hoped  might  break 
him  of  that  wretched  habit  entirely,  when  we  came  to  be  so 
closely  connected.  I gave  an  inventory  to  the  father,  who 
carried  it  to  a merchant;  the  things  were  sent  for,  the  secret 
was  to  be  kept  till  they  should  arrive,  and  in  the  meantime  I 
was  to  get  work,  if  I could,  at  the  other  printing-house.  But 
I found  no  vacancy  there,  and  so  remained  idle  a few  days, 
when  Keimer,  on  a prospect  of  being  employed  to  print 
some  paper  money  in  New  Jersey,  which  would  require  cuts 
and  various  types  that  I only  could  supply,  and  apprehen- 
ding Bradford  might  engage  me  and  get  the  job  from  him, 
sent  me  a very  civik  message,  that  old  friends  should  not 
part  for  a few  words,  the  effect  of  sudden  passion,  and  wish- 
ing me  to  return.  Meredith  persuaded  me  to  con^ly,  as  it 
would  give  more  opportunity  for  his  improvement  under  my 
daily  instructitns ; so  I returned,  and  we  went  on  more 
smoothly  than  for  some  time  before.  The  New  Jersey  job 
was  obtained ; I contrived  a copper-plate  press  for  it,  the 
first  that  had  been  seen  in  the  country ; I cut  several  orna- 
ments ana  checks  for  the  bills.  We  went  together  to  But- 
lington  where  1 executed  the  whole  to  satisfaclaon ; and  ha 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


67 


receiyed  bo  large  a sum  for  the  work,  as  to  bo  enabled 
thereby  to  keep  himself  longer  from  ruin, 
i At  Burlington  I made  acquaintance  with  many  principal 
people  of  the  province.  Several  of  them  had  been  appointed 
by  the  Assembly  a committee  to  attend  the  press,  and  take 
care  that  no  more  bills  were  printed  than  the  law  directed, 
They  were,  therefore,  by  turns  constantly  with  us,  and 
generally  he  who  attended  brought  with  him  a friend  or 
two  for  company.  My  mind  having  been  much  more  im- 
proved by  reading  than  Keimer’s,  I suppose  it  was  for  that 
reason  my  conversation  seemed  to  be  more  valued.  They 
had  me  to  their  houses,  introduced  me  to  their  friends,  and 
showed  me  much  civility  ; while  he,  though  the  master,  was 
a little  neglected.  In  truth,  he  was  an  odd  creature; 
ignorant  of  common  life,  fond  of  rudely  opposing  received 
opinions,  slovenly  to  extreme  dirtiness,  enthusiastic  in  some 
points  of  religion,  and  a little  knavish  withal. 

We  continued  there  near  three  months ; and  by  that  time 
I could  reckon  among  my  acquired  friends,  J udge  Allen, 
Samuel  BustiU,  the  Secretary  of  the  Province,  Isaac  Pear- 
son, Joseph  Cooper,  and  several  of  the  Smiths,  members  of 
Assembly,  and  Isaac  Decow,  the  Surveyor- General.  The 
latter  was  a shrewd,  sagacious  old  man,  who  told  me  that 
he  began  for  himself,  when  young,  by  wheeling  clay  for 
the  brick-makers ; learned  to  write  after  he  was  of  age ; 
carried  the  chain  for  surveyors,  who  taught  him  surveying, 
and  he  had  now,  by  his  industry,  acquired  a good  estate ; 
and  said  he,  I foresee  that  you  will  soon  work  this  man 
out  of  his  business,  and  make  a fortune  in  it  at  Philadelphia.” 
He  had  then  not  the  least  intimation  of  my  intention  to  set 
up  there  or  anywhere.  These  friends  were  afterwards  ol 
great  use  to  me,  as  I occasionally  was  to  some  of  them. 
They  al  continued  their  regard  for  me  as  long  as  they  lived. 

Before  I enter  upon  my  public  appearance  in  business,  it 


<9 


BBNJAMm  FBANEXnr. 


may  be  well  to  let  you  know  the  then  state  of  my  mind, 
with  regard  to  my  principles  and  morals,  that  you  may 
see  how  far  those  influenced  the  future  events  of  my  life. 
My  parents  had  early  given  me  religious  impressions,  and 
brought  me  through  my  childhood  piously  in  the  Dissenting 
way.  But  I was  scarce  fifteen,  when,  after  doubting  by 
turns  several  points,  as  I found  them  disputed  in  the  dif- 
ferent books  1 read,  I began  to  doubt  of  the  Revelation 
itself.  Some  books  against  Deism  fell  into  my  hands ; they 
were  said  to  be  the  substance  of  the  sermons  which  had 
been  preached  at  Boyle’s  Lectures.  It  happened,  that  they 
wrought  an  effect  on  me  quite  contrary  to  what  was  in- 
tended by  them.  For  the  arguments  of  the  Deists,  which 
were  quoted  to  be  refuted,  appeared  to  me  much  stronger 
than  the  refutations ; in  short,  I soon  became  a thorough 
Deist.  My  arguments  perverted  some  others,  particularly 
Collins  and  Ralph ; but,  each  of  these  having  wronged  me 
greatly  without  the  least  compunction,  and  recollecting 
Keith’s  conduct  towards  me  (who  was  another  freethinker), 
and  my  own  towards  Vernon  and  Miss  Read,  which  at 
times  gave  me  great  trouble,  1 began  to  suspect  that  this 
doctrine,  though  it  might  be  true,  was  not  very  usefuL 
My  London  pamphlet,  printed  in  1726,*  which  had  for  its 
motto  these  lines  of  Dryden ; 

“ Whatever  is,  is  right.  But  purblind  man 
Sees  hut  a part  o*  the  chain,  the  nearest  links  | 

His  eyes  not  carrying  to  that  equal  beam, 

That  poises  all  above  j ** 

and  which  from  the  attributes  of  God,  his  infinite  wisdom^ 
goodness,  and  power,  concluded  that  nothing  could  possibly 

* Dr.  Franklin,  in  a letter  to  Benjamin  Vaughan,  dated  Nov- 
ember 9th,  1779,  gives  a further  account  of  this  pamphlet  in  these 
words 

**  It  was  addressed  to  Hr.  J.  B.,  that  U James  Balph«  IksB  m 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


be  wrong  in  the  world ; and  that  vice  and  virtue  were 
empty  distinctions,  no  such  things  existing ; appeared  now 
not  so  clever  a performance  as  I once  thought  it ; and  I 
doubted  whether  some  error  had  not  insinuated  itself  un- 
perceived into  my  argument  so  as  to  infect  all  that  followed, 
as  is  common  in  metaphysical  reasonings. 

I grew  convinced  that  truths  sincerity^  and  integrity^  in 
dealings  between  man  and  man,  were  of  the  utmost  import- 
ance to  the  felicity  of  life ; and  I formed  written  resolu- 
tions, which  still  remain  in  my  journal  book,  to  practise 
them  ever  while  I lived.  Revelation  had  indeed  no  weight 
with  me,  as  such;  hut  I entertained  an  opinion,  that, 

youth  of  about  my  age,  and  my  intimate  friend ; afterwards  a politi- 
cal writer  and  h istorian.  The  purport  of  it  was  to  prove  the  doctrine 
of  fate,  from  the  supposed  attributes  of  God;  in  some  such  manner 
as  this.  That  in  erecting  and  governing  the  world,  as  he  was  in- 
finitely wise,  he  knew  what  would  be  best ; infinitely  good,  he  must 
be  disposed,  and  infinitely  powerful,  he  must  be  able  to  execute  it. 
Consequently  all  is  figh^. 

There  were  only  a hundred  copies  printed,  of  which  I gave  a few 
to  friends;  and  afterwards  disliking  the  piece,  as  conceiving  it 
might  have  an  ill  tendency,  I burnt  the  rest,  except  one  copy,  the 
margin  of  which  was  filled  with  manuscript  notes  by  Lyons,  author 
of  the  Infallibility  of  Human  Judgment,  who  was  at  that  time  another 
of  my  acquaintance  in  London.  I was  not  nineteen  years  of  age 
when  it  was  written.  In  1730,  1 wrote  a piece  on  the  other  side  of 
the  question,  which  began  with  laying  for  its  foundation  this  fact : 
• That  almost  all  men  in  all  ages  and  oountriee  ha'ce  at  times  made  use 
of  PRATBB.  * Thence  I reasoned,  that,  if  all  things  ore  ordained, 
prayer  must  among  the  rest  bo  ordained.  But,  as  praj  er  con  pro- 
cure no  change  in  things  that  are  ordained,  praying  must  then  be 
useless,  and  an  absurdity.  God  would  therefore  not  ordain  praying, 
if  everything  else  was  ordained.  But  praying  exists,  therefore  all 
ether  things  are  not  ordained,  Ac.  This  pamphlet  was  never 
printed,  and  the  manuscript  has  been  long  lost.  The  great  on- 
certainty  I found  in  metaphysical  reasonings  disgusted  me,  and  X 
quitted  that  kind  of  riding  and  study  for  others  more  satis- 
laetory.** 


70 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIir. 


though  oertain  actions  might  not  he  bad,  because  they  were 
forbidden  by  it,  or  good,  because  it  commanded  them  ; yet 
probably  those  actions  might  be  forbidden  because  they  were 
bad  for  us,  or  commanded  because  they  were  beneficial  to  us, 
in  their  own  natures,  all  the  circumstances  of  things  con- 
sidered. And  this  persuasion,  with  the  kind  hand  of  Pro- 
vidence, or  some  guardian  angel,  or  accidental  favourable 
circumstances  and  situations,  or  all  together,  preserved  me, 
through  this  dangerous  time  of  youth,  and  the  hazardous 
situations  I was  sometimes  in  among  strangers,  remote 
from  the  eye  and  advice  of  my  father,  free  from  any  wilful 
gross  immorality  or  injustice,  that  might  have  been  ex- 
pected from  my  want  of  religion.  I say  wilful^  because  the 
instances  I have  mentioned  had  something  of  necessity  in 
them,  from  my  youth,  inexperience,  and  the  knavery  of 
others.  I had  therefore  a tolerable  character  to  begin  in 
the  world  with;  I valued  it  properly,  and  determined  to 
preserve  it. 

We  had  not  been  long  returned  to  Philadelphia,  before 
the  new  types  arrived  from  London.  We  settled  with 
Keimer,  and  left  him  by  his  consent  before  he  heard  of  it. 
We  found  a house  to  let  near  the  Market,  and  took  it 
To  lessen  the  rent,  which  was  then  but  twenty-four  pounds 
a year,  though  I have  since  known  it  let  for  seventy,  we 
took  in  Thomas  Godfrey,  a glazier,  and  his  family,  who 
were  to  pay  a considerable  part  of  it  to  us,  and  we  to  board 
with  them.  We  had  scarce  opened  our  letters,  and  put 
our  press  in  order,  before  George  House,  an  acquaintance 
of  mine,  brought  a countryman  to  us,  whom  he  had  met 
in  the  street,  inquiring  for  a printer.  All  our  cash  was 
now  expended  in  the  variety  of  particulars  we  had  been 
obliged  to  procure,  and  this  countryman’s  five  shillings, 
being  our  &st-fruits,  and  coming  so  seasonably,  gave  me 
more  pleasure  than  any  crown  I have  since  earned;  and 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


71 


the  gratitude  I felt  towards  House  has  made  me  often  mors 
ready  than  perhaps  I otherwise  should  have  been  to  assist 
young  beginners. 

There  are  croakers  in  every  country,  always  boding  its 
ruin.  Such  an  one  there  lived  in  Philadelp^a ; a person 
of  note,  an  elderly  man,  with  a wise  look,  and  a very  grave 
manner  of  speaking ; his  name  was  Samuel  Mickle.  This 
gentleman,  a stranger  to  me,  stopped  me  one  day  at  my 
door,  and  asked  me  if  I was  the  young  man  who  had  lately 
opened  a new  printing-house?  Being  answered  in  the 
affirmative,  he  said  he  was  sorry  for  me,  because  it  was  an 
expensive  undertaking,  and  the  expense  would  be  lost;  for 
Philadelphia  was  a sinking  place,  the  people  already  half 
bankrupts,  or  near  being  so ; all  the  appearances  of  the 
contrary,  such  as  new  buildings  and  the  rise  of  rents,  being 
to  his  certain  knowledge  fallacious ; for  they  were  in  fact 
aftnong  the  things  that  would  ruin  us.  Then  he  gave  me 
such  a detail  of  misfortunes  now  existing,  or  that  were  soon 
to  exist,  that  he  left  me  half  melancholy.  Had  I known 
him  before  I engaged  in  this  business,  probably  I never 
should  have  done  it.  This  person  continued  to  live  in  thii 
decaying  place,  and  to  declaim  in  the  same  strain,  refusing 
for  many  years  to  buy  a house  there,  because  all  was  going 
to  destruction  ; and  at  last  I had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him 
give  five  times  as  much  for  one,  as  he  might  have  bought  it 
for  when  he  first  began  croaking. 


71 


BENJAMIN  FBANKLnr. 


OHAPTEB  V. 

I SHOULD  haye  mentioiied.  before,  that  in  the  aiitiunn  of 
the  preceding  year  I had  formed  most  of  my  ingenious 
acquaintance  into  a club  for  mutual  improvement,  which 
we  called  the  Junto.  We  met  on  Friday  evenings.  The 
rules  that  I drew  up  required  that  every  member,  in  his 
turn,  should  produce  one  or  more  queries  on  any  point  of 
Morals,  Politics,  or  Natural  Philosophy,  to  be  discussed  by 
the  company ; and  once  in  three  months  produce  and  read 
an  essay  of  his  own  writing,  on  any  subject  he  pleased. 
Our  debates  were  to  be  under  the  direction  of  a president, 
and  to  be  conducted  in  the  sincere  spirit  of  enquiry  after 
truth,  without  fondness  for  dispute,  or  desire  of  victory; 
and,  to  prevent  warmth,  all  expressions  of  positiveness  in 
©pinions,  or  direct  contradiction,  were  after  some  time 
made  contraband,  and  prohibited  under  small  pecuniary 
penalties. 

The  first  members  were  Joseph  Breintnal,  a copier  of 
deeds  for  the  scriveners,  a good-natured,  friendly,  middle- 
aged  man,  a great  lover  of  poetry,  reading  all  he  could 
meet  with,  and  writing  some  that  was  tolerable;  very 
ingenious  in  making  little  nicknackeries,  and  of  sensible 
conversation. 

Thomas  Godfrey,  a self-taught  mathematician,  great  in 
his  way,  and  afterwards  inventor  of  what  is  now  called 
HadleyU  Quadrant*  But  he  knew  little  out  of  his  way, 
and  was  not  a pleasing  companion;  as,  like  most  gp'eat 
mathematicians  I have  met  with,  he  expected  universal 

• Godfrey’s  claims  to  this  invention  are  fully  explained  and  oon« 
firmed  in  Millbb’s  Bstr aspect  of  the  Eighteenth  Centwry,  Yol  I.  pfti 
46»— 180. 


BBKJJLMIN  FBAKKLIir. 


73 


|Kr«cuion  in  everything  said,  or  was  for  ever  denying  or 
distinguishing  upon  trifles,  to  the  disturbance  of  all  conver- 
sation. He  soon  left  us. 

Nicholas  Scull,  a surveyor,  afterwards  surveyor-general, 
who  loved  books,  and  sometimes  made  a few  verses. 

William  Parsons,  bred  a shoemaker,  but  loving  reading, 
had  acquired  a considerable  share  of  mathematics,  which 
he  first  studied  with  a view  to  astrology,  and  afterwards 
laughed  at  it.  He  also  became  surveyor-general. 

William  Maugridge,  joiner,  but  a most  exquisite  mechanic, 
and  a solid,  sensible  man. 

Hugh  Meredith,  Stephen  Potts,  and  George  Webb,  I have 
•haracterised  before. 

Robert  Grace,  a young  gentleman  of  some  fortune, 
generous,  lively,  and  witty ; a lover  of  punning  and  of  his 
friends. 

Lastly,  William  Coleman,  then  a merchant’s  clerk,  about 
my  age,  who  had  the  coolest,  clearest  head,  the  best  heart, 
and  the  exactest  morals  of  almost  any  man  I ever  met 
with.  He  became  afterwards  a merchant  of  great  note, 
and  one  of  our  provincial  judges.  Our  friendship  con- 
tinued without  interruption  to  his  death,  upwards  of  forty 
years ; and  the  club  continued  almost  as  long,  and  was  the 
best  school  of  philosophy,  morality,  and  politics,  that  then 
existed  in  the  province ; for  our  queries,  which  were  read 
the  week  preceding  their  discussion,  put  us  upon  reading 
with  attention  on  the  several  subjects,  that  we  might 
speak  more  to  the  purpose;  and  here,  too,  we  acquired 
better  habits  of  conversation,  everything  being  studied  in 
our  rules  which  might  prevent  our  disgusting  each  other. 
Hence  the  long  continuance  of  the  club,  which  I shall  have 
frequent  occasion  to  speak  further  of  hereafter. 

But  my  giving  this  account  of  it  here  is  to  show  somo- 
ttdng  of  the  interest  I bad,  every  one  of  these  exerting 


74 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


themselves  in  recommendiDg  business  to  us.  Breintnal 
particularly  procured  us  from  the  Quakers  the  printing 
of  forty  sheets  of  their  history,  the  rest  being  done  by 
Keimer ; and  upon  these  we  worked  exceedingly  hard,  for 
the  price  was  low.  It  was  a folio,  pro  patrid  size,  in  pica, 
with  long  primer  notes.  I composed  a sheet  a day,  and 
Meredith  worked  it  off  at  press.  It  was  often  eleven  at 
night,  and  sometimes  later,  before  I had  finished  my  dis- 
tribution for  the  next  day’s  work  ; for  the  little  jobs  sent  in 
by  our  other  friends  now  and  then  put  us  back.  But  so 
determined  I was  to  continue  doing  a sheet  a day  of  the 
folio,  that  one  night,  when  having  imposed  my  formes  1 
thought  my  day’s  work  over,  one  of  them  by  accident  was 
broken,  and  two  pages  reduced  to  pie,  I immediately 
distributed  and  composed  it  over  again  before  I went  to 
bed ; and  this  industry,  visible  to  our  neighbours,  began  to 
give  us  character  and  credit.  Particularly  I was  told, 
that  mention  being  made  of  the  new  printing-office,  at  the 
merchants’  every-night  club,  the  general  opinion  was  that 
it  must  fail,  there  being  already  two  printers  in  the  place, 
Keimer  and  Bradford.  But  Dr.  Baird  (whom  you  and  I 
jaw  many  years  after  at  his  native  place,  St.  Andrew’s,  in 
Scotland)  gave  a contrary  opinion;  ‘‘For  the  industry  of 
that  Franklin,”  said  he,  “is  superior  to  anything  I ever 
saw  of  the  kind.  I see  him  still  at  work  when  I go  homo 
i6rom  club,  and  he  is  at  work  again  before  his  neighbours 
are  out  of  bed.”  This  struck  the  rest,  and  we  soon  aftei 
had  offers  from  one  of  them  to  supply  us  with  stationery ; 
but  as  yet  we  did  not  choose  to  engage  in  shop  business. 

I mention  this  industry  more  particularly  and  the  more 
freely,  though  it  seems  to  be  talking  in  my  own  praise,  that 
those  of  my  posterity  who  shall  read  it,  may  know  the  use 
of  that  virtue,  when  they  see  its  effects  in  my  favoni 
throughout  this  relation. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


75 


’ George  Webb,  wbo  bad  found  a female  friend  that  lent 
him  wherewith  to  purchase  his  time  of  Keimer,  now  cams 
to  offer  himself  as  a journeyman  to  us.  We  could  not  then 
employ  him , but  I foolishly  let  him  know,  as  a secret,  that 
I soon  intended  to  begin  a newspaper,  and  might  then  have 
work  for  him.  ]\Iy  hopes  of  success,  as  I told  him,  were 
founded  on  this  : that  the  then  only  newspaper,  printed  by 
Bradford,  was  a paltry  thing,  wretchedly  managed,  no  way 
entertaining,  and  yet  was  profitable  to  him ; I therefore 
freely  thought  a good  paper  would  scarcely  fail  of  good  en- 
couragement. I requested  Webb  not  to  mention  it ; but  he 
told  it  to  Keimer,  who  immediately,  to  be  beforehand  with 
me,  published  proposals  for  one  himself,  on  which  Webb 
was  to  be  employed.  I was  vexed  at  this,  and  to  counteract 
them,  not  being  able  to  commence  our  paper,  I wrote 
several  amusing  pieces  for  Bradford’s  paper,  under  the 
title  of  The  Busy  Body,  which  Breintnal  continued  some 
months.  By  this  means  the  attention  of  the  public  was 
fixed  on  that  paper,  and  Keimer’s  proposals,  which  we 
burlesqued  and  ridiculed,  were  disregarded.  He  began  his 
paper,  however,  and  before  carrying  it  on  three  quarters  of 
a year,  with  at  most  only  ninety  subscribers,  he  offered  it 
me  for  a trifle  ; and  I,  having  been  ready  some  time  to  go 
on  with  it,  took  it  in  hand  directly,  and  it  proved,  in  a few 
years,  extremely  profitable  to  me.* 

I perceive  that  I am  apt  to  speak  in  the  singular  number, 
though  our  partnership  still  continued ; it  may  be,  that  in 
fact  the  whole  management  of  the  business  lay  upon  me. 
Meredith  was  no  compositor,  a poor  press-man,  and  seldom 
sober.  My  friends  lamented  my  connection  with  him,  but 
I was  to  make  the  best  of  it. 

Our  first  papers  made  quite  a different  appearance  from 

• It  was  called  the  Pennsylvania  Gazette.  Franklin  and  Meredith 
the  paper  with  No.  40,  September  25th,  1729, 


T6 


BBNJAMm  FR^lTKLIlf. 


tny  before  in  the  province;  a better  type  and  bettei 
printed ; but  some  remarks  * of  my  writing,  on  the  dispute 
then  going  on  between  Governor  Burnet  and  the  Massa- 
chusetts Assembly,  struck  tne  principal  people,  occasioned 
the  paper  and  the  manager  of  it  to  be  much  talked  of,  and 
in  a few  weeks  brought  them  all  to  be  our  subscribers. 

*•  These  remarks  are  in  the  Pennsylvania  Gazette  for  October  2nd, 
4729,  and  are  as  follows  : — 

“ His  Excellency,  Governor  Bume't,  died  unexpectedly  about  two 
(ilays  after  the  date  of  this  reply  to  his  last  message ; and  it  was 
thought  the  dispute  would  have  ended  with  him,  or  at  least  have 
kin  dormant  till  the  arrival  of  a new  Governor  from  England, 
who  possibly  might,  or  might  not,  be  inclined  to  enter  too  vigor- 
«usly  into  the  measures  of  his  predecessor.  But  our  last  advices 
;by  the  post  acquaint  us,  that  his  Honour,  the  Lieutenant-Governor, 
on  whom  the  government  immediately  devolves  upon  the  death 
•r  absence  of  the  Commander-in-Chief,  has  vigorously  renewed  the 
struggle  on  his  own  account,  of  which  the  particulars  will  be  seen 
in  our  next. 

“ Perhaps  some  of  our  readers  may  not  fully  understand  the 
Mriginal  ground  of  this  warm  contest  between  the  Govemv>»  and 
Assembly.  It  seems  that  people  have,  for  these  hundred  years  past, 
enjoyed  the  privilege  of  rewarding  the  Governor,  for  the  time 
being,  according  to  their  sense  of  his  merit  and  services ; and  few  or 
none  of  their  Governors  have  complained,  or  had  cause  to  complain, 
of  a scanty  allowance.  When  the  ;late  Governor  Burnet  brought 
with  him  instructions  to  demand  a settled  salary  of  one  thousand 
pounds  sterling  per  annum,  on  him  and  all  his  successors,  and  the 
Assembly  were  required  to  fix  it  immediately,  he  insisted  on  it 
strenuously  to  the  last,  and  they  as  constantly  refused  it.  It  ap- 
pears by  their  votes  and  proceedings,  that  they  thought  it  an  im. 
position,  contrary  to  their  own  charter,  and  to  Magna  Charta;  and 
they  judged  that  there  should  be  a mutual  dependence  between 
the  Governor  and  governed;  and  that  to  make  the  Governor  inde- 
pendent would  be  dangerous  and  destructive  to  their  liberties,  and 
the  ready  way  to  establish  tyranny.  They  thought,  likewise,  that 
the  province  was  not  the  less  dependent  on  the  Crown  of  Great 
Britain,  by  the  Governor’s  depending  immediately  on  them  and 
his  own  good  conduct  for  an  ample  support ; because  all  acts  and 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN, 


77 


Their  example  was  followed  by  many,  and  our  number 
went  on  growing  continually.  This  was  one  of  the  first 
good  effects  of  my  having  learned  a little  to  scribble ; an- 
other was,  that  the  leading  men,  seeing  a newspaper  now  in 
the  hands  of  those  who  could  also  handle  a pen,  thought  it 
convenient  to  oblige  and  encourage  me.  Bradford  still 
printed  the  votes,  and  laws,  and  other  public  business.  He 
had  printed  an  address  of  the  House  to  the  Governor,  in  a 
coarse,  blundering  manner ; we  reprinted  it  elegantly  and 
correctly,  and  sent  one  to  every  member.  They  were 
sensible  of  the  difference,  it  strengthened  the  hands  of  our 

laws,  which  he  might  be  induced  to  pass,  must  nevertheless  be  com- 
•tantly  sent  home  for  approbation  in  order  to  continue  in  force. 
Many  other  reasons  were  given,  and  arguments  used,  in  the  course 
of  the  controversy,  needless  to  particularise  here,  because  all  the 
material  papers  relating  to  it  have  been  already  given  in  our  publie 
news. 

“ Much  deserved  praise  has  the  deceased  Governor  received  for 
his  steady  integrity  in  adhering  to  his  instructions,  notwithstanding 
the  great  difficulty  and  opposition  he  met  with,  and  the  strong 
temptations  offered  from  time  to  time  to  induce  him  to  give  up  the 
point.  And  yet,  perhaps,  something  is  due  to  the  Assembly  (as  the 
love  and  zeal  of  that  country  for  the  present  establishment  is  too 
well  known  to  suffer  any  suspicion  of  want  of  loyalty),  who  con- 
tinue thus  resolutely  to  abide  by  what  they  think  their  right,  and 
that  of  the  people  they  represent  j maugrd  all  the  arts  and  menaces 
of  a Governor  famed  for  his  cunning  and  politics,  backed  with  in- 
structions from  home,  and  powerfully  aided  by  the  great  advan- 
tage such  an  officer  always  has  of  engaging  the  principal  men  of  a 
place  in  his  party,  by  conferring  where  he  pleases  so  many  posts  of 
profit  and  honour.  Their  happy  mother  country  will  perhaps  ob^ 
serve  with  pleasure,  that  though  her  gallant  cocks  and  matchless 
dogs  abate  their  natural  fire  and  intrepidity,  when  transported  to  a i 
foreign  clime  (as  this  nation  is),  yet  her  sons  in  the  remotest  part 
of  the  earth,  and  even  to  the  third  and  fourth  descent,  still  retain 
that  ardent  spirit  of  liberty,  and  that  undaunted  courage,  which 
have,  in  every  age,  so  gloriously  distinguished  Beitons  and 
teeLisuMnn  from  the  rest  of  mankind.*’— -W.  T,  F. 


78 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


friends  in  the  House,  and  they  voted  us  their  printers  foi 
the  year  ensuing. 

Among  my  friends  in  the  House,  I must  not  forget  Mr. 
Hamilton,  before  mentioned,  who  was  then  returned  from 
England,  and  had  a seat  in  it.  He  interested  himself  for 
me  strongly  in  that  instance,  as  he  did  in  many  others  after- 
wards, continuing  his  patronage  till  his  death. 

Mr.  Vernon,  about  this  time,  put  me  in  mind  of  the  debt 
I owed  him,  but  did  not  press  me.  I wrote  to  him  an  in- 
genuous letter  of  acknowledgment,  craving  his  forbearance 
a little  longer,  which  he  allowed  me.  As  soon  as  I was  able, 
I paid  the  principal  with  the  interest,  and  many  thanks ; so 
that  erratum  was  in  some  degree  corrected. 

But  now  another  difficulty  came  upon  me,  which  I had 
never  the  least  reason  to  expect.  Mr.  Meredith’s  father,  who 
was  to  have  paid  for  our  printing-house,  according  to  the 
expectations  given  me,  was  able  to  advance  only  one  hun- 
dred pounds  currency,  which  had  been  paid ; and  a hundred 
more  were  due  to  the  merchant,  who  grew  impatient  and 
sued  us  all.  We  gave  bail,  but  saw  that  if  the  money  could 
not  be  raised  in  time,  the  suit  must  soon  come  to  a judgment 
and  execution,  and  our  hopeful  prospects  must  with  us  be 
ruined,  as  the  press  and  letters  must  be  sold  for  payment, 
perhaps  at  half  price. 

In  this  distress  two  true  friends,  whose  kindness  I have 
never  forgotten,  nor  ever  shall  forget  while  I can  remember 
anything,  came  to  me  separately,  unknown  to  each  other ; 
end,  without  any  application  from  me,  offered  each  of  them 
to  advance  me  all  the  money  that  should  be  necessary  to 
enable  me  to  take  the  whole  business  upon  myself,  if  that 
should  be  practicable ; but  they  did  not  like  my  continuing 
the  partnership  with  Meredith,  who,  as  they  said,  was  often 
seen  drunk  in  the  street,  playing  at  low  games  in  alehouses, 
mueh  to  our  discredit.  These  two  friends  were  William 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


79 


Coleman  and  Robert  Grace.  I told  them  I could  not  pro- 
pose a separation  while  any  prospect  remained  of  the  Mere- 
diths fulfilling  their  part  of  our  agreement,  because  I thought 
myself  under  great  obligations  to  them  for  what  they  had 
done,  and  would  do  if  they  could ; but  if  they  finally  failed 
in  their  performance,  and  our  partnership  must  be  dissolved, 
I should  then  think  myself  at  liberty  to  accept  the  assist- 
ance of  my  friends. 

Thus  the  matter  rested  for  some  time,  when  I said  to  my 
partner,  Perhaps  your  father  is  dissatisfied  at  the  part  you 
have  undertaken  in  this  afiair  of  ours,  and  is  unwilling  to 
advance  for  you  and  me  what  he  would  for  you.  If  that  is 
the  case  tell  me,  and  I will  resign  the  whole  to  you,  and  go 
about  my  business.”  “ No,”  said  he,  “ my  father  has  really 
been  disappointed,  and  is  really  unable,  and  I am  unwilling 
to  distress  him  further.  I see  this  is  a business  I am  not  fit 
for.  I was  bred  a farmer,  and  it  was  folly  in  me  to  come  to 
town  and  put  myself,  at  thirty  years  of  age,  an  apprentice  to 
learn  a new  trade.  Many  of  our  Welsh  people  are  going  to 
fettle  in  North  Carolina,  where  land  is  cheap.  I am  in- 
clined to  go  with  them,  and  follow  my  old  employment  j you 
may  find  friends  to  assist  you.  If  you  will  take  the  debts  of 
the  company  upon  you,  return  to  my  father  the  hundred 
pounds  he  has  advanced,  pay  my  little  personal  debts,  and 
give  me  thirty  pounds  and  a new  saddle,  I wiU  relinquish 
the  partnership  and  leave  the  whole  in  your  hands.”  I 
agreed  to  this  proposal ; it  was  drawn  up  in  writing,  signed, 
and  sealed  immediately.  I gave  him  what  he  demanded,  and 
he  went  soon  after  to  Caronna ; whence  he  sent  me  next 
year  two  long  letters,  containing  the  best  account  that  had 
been  given  of  that  country,  the  climate,  the  soil,  and 
husbandry,  for  in  those  matters  he  was  very  judicious.  I 
printed  them  in  the  papers,  and  they  gave  groat  satisfacti<^ 
to  the  public. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


As  soon  as  he  was  gone  I recurred  to  my  two  firiends,  and 
because  I would  not  give  an  unkind  preference  to  either,  I 
took  half  of  what  each  had  offered  and  I wanted  of  one,  and 
half  of  the  other ; paid  off  the  company’s  debts,  and  went  on 
with  the  business  in  my  own  name,  advertising  that  the 
partnership  was  dissolved.  I think  this  was  in  or  about  the 
year  1729.* 

About  this  time  there  was  a cry  among  the  people  for 
more  paper-money ; only  fifteen  thousand  pounds  being  ex- 
tant in  the  province,  and  that  soon  to  be  sunk.  The  wealthy 
inhabitants  opposed  any  addition,  being  against  all  paper 
currency,  from  tho  apprehension  that  it  would  depreciate  as 
it  had  done  in  New  England,  to  the  injury  of  all  creditors. 
We  had  discussed  this  point  in  our  Junto,  where  I was  on 
the  side  of  an  addition,  being  persuaded  that  the  first  small 
sum,  struck  in  1723,  had  done  much  good  by  increasing  the 
trade,  employment,  and  number  of  inhabitants  in  the 
province,  since  I now  saw  all  the  old  houses  inhabited,  and 
many  new  ones  building  ; whereas  I remembered  well,  when 
I first  walked  about  the  streets  of  Philadelphia,  eating 
my  roll,  I saw  many  of  the  houses  in  Walnut  Street,  be- 
ween  Second  and  Front  Streets,  with  bills  on  their  doors, 

• The  dissolution  of  the  partnership  was  a year  later,  as  appears 
by  the  following  agreement,  transcribed  from  the  original  in 
Franklin's  handwriting. — Ed. 

“ Be  it  remembered,  that  Hugh  Meredith  and  Benjamin  Franklin 
have  this  day  separated  as  partners,  and  will  henceforth  act  each  on 
his  own  account ; and  that  tho  said  Hugh  Meredith,  for  a valuable 
consideration  by  him  received  from  the  said  Benjamin  Franklin, 
hath  relinquished,  and  doth  hereby  relinquish,  to  the  said  Franklin, 
all  claim,  right,  or  property  to  or  in  the  printing  materials  and  stock 
heretofore  jointly  possessed  by  them  in  partnership  ; and  to  all 
debts  due  to  them  as  partners,  in  the  course  of  their  business ; which 
all  from  henceforth  the  sole  property  of  the  said  Benjamin 
Franklin.  In  witness  whereof  I have  hereunto  set  my  hand,  this 
I4th  day  of  July,  1730,  Hugh  MBanDiT*.*- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


81 


**  To  h$  Ui**  and  many  likewise  in  Chestnut  Street  and  other 
streets,  which  made  me  think  the  inhabitants  of  the  city 
were,  one  after  another,  deserting  it. 

Our  debates  possessed  me  so  fully  of  the  subject,  that  I 
wrote  and  printed  an  anonymous  pamphlet  on  it,  entitled. 
The  Nature  and  Necessity  of  a Taper  Currency,^  It  was  well 
received  by  the  common  people  in  general ; but  the  rich  men 
disliked  it,  for  it  increased  and  strengthened  the  clamour  for 
more  money ; and,  they  happening  to  have  no  writers  among 
them  that  were  able  to  answer  it,  their  opposition  slackened, 
and  the  point  was  carried  by  a majority  in  the  House.  My 
friends  there,  who  considered  I had  been  of  some  service, 

• “It  is  little  knawn,  or  set  down  to  the  commendation  of. 
Franklin,  that,  when  he  was  young  in  business,  and  stood  in  need 
of  sundry  articles  in  the  line  of  his  profession  as  a printer,  he  had 
the  ingenuity  to  make  them  for  himself.  In  this  way  he  founded 
letters  of  lead,  engraved  various  printm^ornaments,  cut  wood-cuts, 
made  printers’  ink,  engraved  copperplate  vignettes,  and  made  hii 
plate-press.”— Watson’s  Annals  of  Philadelphia,  p.  513. 

Mr.  Watson  relates  another  anecdote.  He  says,  that  the  “ yellow 
willow  tree,”  now  so  common  throughout  the  country,  was  first  in- 
troduced into  America  by  Franklin.  A wicker  basket  made  of 
willow,  in  which  some  foreign  article  had  been  imported,  ho  saw 
sprouting  in  a ditch,  and  directed  some  of  the  twigs  to  be  planted. 
They  took  root,  and  from  these  shoots  are  supposed  to  have  sprung 
all  the  yellow  willows  which  have  grown  on  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic. 

Chaptal  ascribes  to  Franklin,  also,  the  introduction  of  the  agri- 
cultural use  of  plaster  of  Paris  into  the  United  States.  “As  this 
celebrated  philosopher,”  says  he,  “ wished  that  the  effects  of  this 
manure  should  strike  the  gaze  of  all  cultivators,  he  wrote  in  great 
letters,  formed  by  the  use  of  the  ground  plaster,  in  a field  of  clover 
lying  upon  the  great  road,  ‘ This  has  hem  plastered/  The  prodigious 
vegetation,  which  was  developed  in  the  plastered  portion,  led  him 
to  adopt  this  method.  Volumes  upon  the  excellency  of  plaster 
would  not  have  produced  so  speedy  a revolution.  From  that  period 
the  Americans  have  imported  great  quantities  of  plaster  of  Paria.”— 
Okaptal’s  Agricultural  Chemistry,  Boston  edition,  p.  73.— JSd. 


52 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


thouglit  fit  to  reward  me,  by  employing  me  in  pnnting  tiis 
money;  a very  profitable  job,  and  a great  help  to  me. 
This  was  another  advantage  gained  by  my  being  able  to 
write. 

The  utility  of  this  currency  became  by  time  and  ex- 
perience so  evident,  that  the  principles  upon  which  it  was 
founded  were  never  afterwards  much  disputed ; so  that  it 
grew  soon  to  fifty-five  thousand  pounds ; and  in  1739,  to 
eighty  thousand  pounds ; trade,  building,  and  inhabitants 
all  the  while  increasing.  Though  I now  think  there  are 
limits  beyond  which  the  quantity  may  be  hurtful. 

I soon  after  obtained,  through  my  friend  Hamilton,  the 
printing  of  the  Newcastle  paper  money,  another  profitable 
job,  as  I then  thought  it ; small  things  appearing  g;reat  to 
those  in  small  circumstances ; and  these  to  me  were  really 
great  advantages,  as  they  were  great  encoui'agements. 
Mr.  Hamilton  procured  for  me  also  the  printing  of  the  laws 
and  votes  of  that  government ; which  continued  in  my 
hands  as  long  as  I followed  the  business. 

I now  opened  a small  stationer’s  shop.  I had  in  it  blanka 
of  aU  kinds  ; the  correctest  that  ever  appeared  among  us.  I 
was  assisted  in  that  by  my  friend  Breintnal.  I had  also 
paper,  parchment,  chapmen’s  books,  &c.  One  Whitemarsh, 
a compositor  I had  known  in  London,  an  excellent  workman, 
now  came  to  me,  and  worked  with  me  constantly  and  dili- 
gently ; and  I took  an  apprentice,  the  son  of  AquUa  Rose. 

I began  now  gradually  to  pay  ofi  the  debt  I was  under  for 
the  printing-house.  In  order  to  secure  my  credit  and  cha- 
racter as  a tradesman,  I took  care  not  only  to  be  in  reality 
industrious  and  frugal,  but  to  avoid  the  appearances  to  the 
contrary.  I dressed  plain,  and  was  seen  at  no  places  of  idle 
diversion.  I never  went  out  a fishing  or  shooting ; a book 
indeed  sometimes  debauched  me  from  my  work,  but  that 
was  seldom,  was  private,  and  gave  no  scandal ; and,  to  show 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


83 


that  I was  not  above  my  business,  I sometimes  brought 
home  the  paper  I purchased  at  the  stores  through  the  streets 
on  a wheelbarrow.  Thus  being  esteemed  an  industrious, 
thriving  young  man,  and  paying  duly  for  what  I bought, 
the  merchants  who  imported  stationery  solicited  my  custom  ; 
others  proposed  supplying  me  with  books,  and  I went  on 
prosperously.  In  the  meantime,  Keimer’s  credit  and  busi- 
ness declining  daily,  he  was  at  last  forced  to  sell  his  print- 
ing-house, to  satisfy  his  creditors.  He  went  to  Barbadoes, 
and  there  lived  some  years  in  very  poor  circumstances. 

His  apprentice,  David  Harry,  whom  I had  instructed 
while  I worked  with  him,  set  up  in  his  place  at  Philadelphia, 
having  bought  his  materials.  I was  at  first  apprehensive  of 
a powerful  rival  in  Harry,  as  his  friends  were  very  able, 
and  had  a good  deal  of  interest.  I therefore  proposed  a 
partnership  to  him,  which  he  fortunately  for  me  rejected 
with  scorn.  He  was  very  proud,  dressed  like  a gentleman, 
lived  expensively,  took  much  diversion  and  pleasure  abroad, 
ran  in'  debt,  and  neglected  his  business ; upon  which  all 
business  left  him ; and,  finding  nothing  to  do,  he  followed 
Keimer  to  Barbadoes,  taking  the  printing-house  with  him. 
There  this  apprentice  employed  his  former  master  as  a 
journeyman ; they  quarrelled  often,  and  Harry  went  con- 
tinually behindhand,  and  at  length  was  obliged  to  sell  his 
types  and  return  to  country  work  in  Pennsylvania.  The 
person  who  bought  them  employed  Keimer  to  use  them,  but 
a few  years  after  he  died. 

There  remained  now  no  other  printer  in  Philadelphia  but 
the  old  Bradford ; but  he  was  rich  and  easy,  did  a little  in 
the  business  by  straggling  hands,  but  was  not  anxious  about 
it.  However,  as  he  held  the  post-office,  it  was  imagined  he 
had  better  opportunities  of  obtaining  news,  his  paper  was 
thought  a better  distributor  of  advertisements  than  mine, 
and  therefore  had  many  more ; which  was  a profitable  thing 


84 


BENJAMIN  FRANBXIN. 


to  him,  and  a disadvantage  to  me.  For,  though  I did,  indeed, 
receive  and  send  papers  by  the  post,  yet  the  public  opinion 
was  otherwise ; for  what  I did  send  was  by  bribing  the  riders, 
who  took  them  privately ; Bradford  being  unkind  enough  to 
forbid  it,  which  occasioned  some  resentment  on  my  part ; and 
I thought  so  meanly  of  the  practice,  that,  when  I afterwards 
came  into  his  situation,  I took  care  never  to  imitate  it. 

I had  hitherto  continued  to  board  with  Godfrey,  who  lived 
in  a part  of  my  house,  with  his  wife  and  children,  and  had 
one  side  of  the  shop  for  his  glazier’s  business,  though  he 
worked  little,  being  always  absorbed  in  his  mathematics. 
Mrs.  Godfrey  projected  a match  for]  me,  with  a relation’s 
daughter,  took  opportunities  of  bringing  us  often  together, 
till  a serious  courtship  on  my  part  ensued,  the  girl  being  in 
herself  very  deserving.  The  old  folks  encouraged  me  by 
continual  invitations  to  supper,  and  by  leaving  us  together, 
till  at  length  it  was  time  to  explain.  Mrs.  Godfrey 
managed  our  little  treaty.  I let  her  know  that  I expected 
as  much  money  with  their  daughter  as  would  pay  off  my 
remaining  debt  for  the  printing-house ; which  I believe  was 
not  then  above  a hundred  pounds.  She  brought  me  word 
they  had  no  such  sum  to  spare.  I said  they  might  mort- 
gage their  house  in  the  loan-office.  The  answer  to  this, 
after  some  days,  was,  that  they  did  not  approve  the  match ; 
that,  on  inquiry  of  Bradford,  they  had  been  informed  the 
printing  business  was  not  a profitable  one,  the  types  would 
goon  be  worn  out  and  more  wanted;  that  Keimer  and 
David  Harry  had  failed  one  after  the  other,  and  I should 
probably  soon  follow  them ; and  therefore  I was  forbidden 
the  house,  and  the  daughter  was  shut  up. 

Whether  this  was  a real  change  of  sentiment  or  only  aiii. 
flee,  on  a supposition  of  our  being  too  far  engaged  in  affection 
to  retract,  and  therefore  that  we  should  steal  a marriage, 
which  would  leave  them  at  liberty  to  give  or  withhold  whet 


BENJAMIN  PEANKLIN. 


85 


they  pleased,  I know  not.  But  I suspected  the  motive,  re- 
sented it,  and  went  no  more.  Mrs.  Godfrey  brought  me 
afterwards  some  more  favourable  accounts  of  their  disposi- 
tion, and  would  have  drawn  me  on  again,  but  I declared  ab- 
solutely my  resolution  to  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  that 
family.  This  was  resented  by  the  Godfreys,  we  differed, 
and  they  removed,  leaving  me  the  whole  house,  and  I re- 
solved to  take  no  more  inmates. 

But  this*  affair  having  turned  my  thoughts  to  marriage,  I 
looked  round  me  and  made  overtures  of  acquaintance  in 
other  places,  but  soon  found,  that,  the  business  of  a printer 
being  generally  thought  a poor  one,  I was  not  to  expect 
money  with  a wife,  unless  with  such  a one  as  I should  not 
otherwise  think  agreeable.  In  the  meantime,  that  hard 
to  be  governed  passion  of  youth  had  hurried  me  frequently 
into  intrigues  with  low  women  that  fell  in  my  way,  which 
were  attended  with  some  expense  and  great  inconvenience, 
besides  a continual  risk  to  my  health  by  a distemper, 
which  of  aU  things  I dreaded,  though  by  great  good  luck  I 
escaped  it. 

A friendly  correspondence  as  neighbours  had  continued 
between  me  and  Miss  Read’s  family,  who  all  had  a regard 
lor  me  from  the  time  of  my  first  lodging  in  their  house.  I 
was  often  invited  there  and  consulted  in  their  affairs, 
wherein  I sometimes  was  of  service.  I pitied  poor  Miss 
Read’s  unfortunate  situation,  who.  was  generally  dejected, 
seldom  cheerful,  and  avoided  company.  I considered  my 
giddiness  and  inconstancy  when  in  London,  as,  in  a great 
degree,  the  cause  of  her  unhappiness ; though  the  mother 
was  good  enough  to  think  the  fault  more  her  own  than 
mine,  as  she  had  prevented  our  marrying  before  I went 
thither,  and  persuaded  the  other  match  in  my  absence.  Our 
mutual  affection  was  revived,  but  there  were  now  great 
objections  to  our  uj^on*  That  match  was  indeed  looked 


86 


BENJAMIN  FBANKUN. 


upon  as  invalid,  a preceding  wife  being  said  to  be  living 
in  England,  but  this  could  not  easily  be  proved,  because 
of  the  distance,  &c. ; and,  though  there  was  a report  of  his 
death,  it  was  not  certain.  Then,  though  it  should  be 
true,  he  had  left  many  debts,  which  his  successor  might  be 
called  upon  to  pay.  We  ventured,  however,  over  all  these 
difficulties,  and  I took  her  to  wife,  September  1st,  1730. 
None  of  the  inconveniences  happened  that  we  had  appre- 
hended. She  proved  a good  and  faithful  helpmate, 
assisted  me  much  by  attending  to  the  shop;  we  throve 
together,  and  ever  mutually  endeavoured  to  make  each 
other  happy.  Thus  I corrected  that  great  erratum  as  well 
as  I could. 

About  this  time,  our  club  meeting,  not  at  a tavern,  but  in 
a little  room  of  Mr.  Grace’s,  set  apart  for  that  purpose,  a 
proposition  was  made  by  me  that,  since  our  books  were 
often  referred  to  in  our  disquisitions  upon  the  queries,  it 
might  be  convenient  to  us  to  have  them  all  together  where 
we  met,  that  upon  occasion  they  might  be  consulted ; and 
by  thus  clubbing  our  books  in  a common  library,  we 
should,  while  we  liked  to  keep  them  together,  have  each  of 
us  the  advantage  of  using  the  books  of  ail  the  other  mem- 
bers, which  would  be  nearly  as  beneficial  as  if  each  owned 
the  whole.  It  was  liked  and  agreed  to,  and  we  filled  on® 
end  of  the  room  with  such  books  as  we  could  best  spare. 
The  number  was  not  so  great  as  we  expected,  and,  though 
they  had  been  of  great  use,  yet  some  inconveniences  oc- 
curring for  want  of  due  care  of  them,  the  collection,  after 
about  a year,  was  separated,  and  each  took  his  books  horn® 
again. 

And  now  I set  on  foot  my  first  project  of  a public  nature 
— that  for  a subscription  library.  I drew  up  the  proposals, 
got  them  put  into  form  by  our  great  scrivener,  Brockdon, 
and  by  the  help  of  my  friends  in  the  J unto,  procured  fifty 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


87 


•ubscribers  of  forty  shillings  each  to  begin  with,  and  ten 
•hillings  a year  for  fifty  years,  the  term  our  company  was 
to  continue.  We  afterwards  obtained  a charter,  the  com- 
^ pany  being  increased  to  one  hundred.  This  was  the  mother 
of  all  the  North  American  subscription  libraries,  now  so 
numerous  ; it  is  become  a great  thing  itself,  and  continually 
goes  on  increasing.  These  libraries  have  improved  the 
general  conversation  of  the  Americans,  made  the  common 
tradesmen  and  farmers  as  intelligent  as  most  gentlemen  from 
other  countries,  and  perhaps  have  contributed  in  some  degree 
to  the  stand  so  generally  made  throughout  the  colonies  in 
defence  of  their  privileges. 


CHAPTER  VI.  • 

At  the  time  I established  myself  in  Pennsylvania,  there 
was  not  a good  bookseller’s  shop  in  any  of  the  colonies  to 
the  southward  of  Boston.  In  New  York  and  Philadelphia, 
the  printers  were  indeed  stationers,  but  they  sold  only 
paper,  almanacs,  ballads,  and  a few  common  school-books. 
Those  who  loved  reading  were  obliged  to  send  for  their 
books  from  England ; the  members  of  the  Junto  had 
each  a few.  We  had  left  the  alehouse,  where  we  first 
met,  and  hired  a room  to  hold  our  club  in.  I proposed 
that  we  should  all  of  us  bring  our  books  to  that  room, 

• Down  to  this  period  the  Memoir  was  written  in  the  year  1771, 
and  the  task  was  then  laid  aside  for  several  years.  In  the  mean<> 
time,  the  manuscript  was  shown  to  several  of  the  author’s  friends, 
who  pressed  him  to  complete  what  he  had  begun.  He  accordingly 
yielded  to  their  solicitations,  and,  to  the  part  with  which  this 
iliapter  commences,  he  prefixed  the  following  introductory  remar ka. 
and  also  the  two  letters  to  which  he  alludes. 


88 


BBlfJAMOr  FRANKXnr. 


where  they  would  not  only  be  ready  to  consult  in  onr 
conferences,  but  become  a common  benefit,  each  of  us 
being  at  liberty  to  borrow  such  as  he  wished  to  read  at 
home.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and  for  some  time 
contented  us. 

Finding  the  advantage  of  this  little  collection,  I proposed 
to  render  the  benefit  from  the  books  more  common,  by  com- 
mencing a public  subscription  library.  I drew  a sketch  of 
the  plan  and  rules  that  would  be  necessary,  and  got  a skilful 
conveyancer,  Mr.  Charles  Brockden,  to  put  the  whole  in 
form  of  articles  of  agreement  to  be  subscribed ; by  which 
each  subscriber  engaged  to  pay  a certain  sum  down  for  the 
first  purchase  of  the  books,  and  an  annual  ontribution  for 
increasing  them.  So  few  were  the  readers  at  that  time  in 
Philadelphia,  and  the  majority  of  us  so  poor,  that  I was  not 
able,  with^  great  industry,  to  find  more  than  fifty  persons, 
mostly  young  tradesmen,  willing  to  pay  down  for  this  pur- 
pose forty  shillings  each,  and  ten  shillings  per  annum. 
With  this  little  fund  we  began.  The  books  were  imported. 
The  library  was  opened  one  day  in  the  week  for  lending 
them  to  subscribers,  on  their  promissory  notes  to  pay  double 
the  value  if  not  duly  returned.  The  institution  soon  mani- 
fested its  utility,  was  imitated  by  other  towns,  and  in 
other  provinces.  The  libraries  were  augmented  by  dona- 
tions, reading  became  fashionable ; and  our  people,  having 
no  public  amusements  to  divert  their  attention  from  study, 
became  better  acquainted  with  books,  and  in  a few  years 
were  observed  by  strangers  to  be  better  instructed  and  more 
intelligent  than  people  of  the  same  rank  generally  are  in- 
other  countries. 

When  we  were  about  to  sign  the  above-mentioned 
•rticles,  which  were  to  be  binding  on  us,  our  heirs,  Ac., 
for  fifty  years,  Mr.  Brockden,  the  scrivener,  said  to  ui 
^ Fou  are  young  men,  but  it  is  scarcely  probable  that  any 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


89 


of  70U  will  live  to  see  the  expiration  of  the  term  fixed  in 
the  instrument.”  A number  of  us,  however,  are  yet 
living ; but  the  instrument  was  after  a few  years  rendered 
null,  by  a charter  that  incorporated  and  gave  perpetuity  to 
the  company. 

The  objections  and  reluctances  I met  with  in  soliciting 
the  subscriptions  made  me  soon  feel  the  impropriety  of 
presenting  one’s  self  as  the  proposer  of  any  useful  project 
that  might  be  supposed  to  raise  one’s  reputation  in  the 
smallest  degree  above  that  of  one’s  neighbours,  when  one 
has  need  of  their  assistance  to  accomxjlish  that  project.  I 
therefore  put  myself  as  much  as  I could  out  of  sight,  and 
stated  it  to  be  a scheme  of  a number  of  friends  ^ who  had 
requested  me  to  go  about  and  propose  it  to  such  as  they 
thought  lovers  of  reading.  In  this  way  my  affair  went  on 
more  smoothly,  and  I ever  after  practised  it  on  such 
occasions ; and  from  my  frequent  successes,  can  heartily 
recommend  it.  The  present  little  sacrifice  of  your  vanity 
will  afterwards  be  amply  repaid.  If  it  remains  a while 
uncertain  to  whom  the  merit  belongs,  some  one  fnore  vain 
than  yourself  may  be  encouraged  to  claim  it,  and  then 
even  envy  will  be  disposed  to  do  you  justice,  by  plucking 
those  assumed  feathers,  and  restoring  them  to  their  right 
owner. 

This  library  afforded  me  the  means  of  improvement  by 
constant  study,  for  which  I set  apart  an  hour  or  two  each' 
day,  and  thus  repaired  in  some  degree  the  loss  of  the 
learned  education  my  father  once  intended  for  me. 
Reading  was  the  only  amusement  I allowed  myself.  I 
spent  no  time  in  taverns,  games,  or  frolics  of  any  kind ; 
and  my  industry  in  my  business  continued  as  indefatigable 
as  it  was  necessary.  I was  indebted  for  my  printing- 
house  ; I had  a young  family  coming  on  to  be  educated, 
and  I had  two  competitors  to  contend  with  for  businesf 


90 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


who  were  established  in  the  place  before  me.  My  circum- 
itances,  however,  grew  daily  easier.  My  original  habits  ol 
frugality  continuing,  and  my  father  having,  among  his  in- 
structions  to  me  when  a boy,  frequently  repeated  a proverb 
\r  of  Solomon,  “ Seest  thou  a man  diligent  in  his  calling^  h$ 
shall  stand  before  kingSy  he  shall  not  stand  before  mean  men^^ 
I thence  considered  industry  as  a means  of  obtaining  wealth 
and  distinction,  which  encouraged  me, — though  I did  not 
think  iluiL  I should  ever  literally  stand  before  kingSy  which, 
however,  has  since  happened  ; for  I have  stood  before  JivSy 
and  even  had  the  honour  of  sitting  down  with  one,  the 
^ King  of  Denmark,  to  dinner. 

We  have  an  English  proverb  that  says,  **  He  that  would 
' thrive  must  ask  his  wife^  It  was  lucky  for  me  that  I had  on© 
as  much  disposed  to  industry  and  frugality  as  myself.  She 
assisted  me  cheerfully  in  my  business,  folding  and  stitching 
pamphlets,  tending  shop,  purchasing  old  linen  rags  for  the 
paper-makers,  &c.  We  kept  no  idle  servants,  our  table 
was  plain  and  simple,  our  furniture  of  the  cheapest.  For 
instance,  my  breakfast  was  for  a long  time  bread  and  milk, 
(no  tea),  and  I ate  it  out  of  a twopenny  earthen  porringer, 
with  a pewter  spoon.  But  mark  how  luxury  will  enter 
families,  and  make  a progress,  in  spite  of  principle ; being 
called  one  morning  to  breakfast,  I found  it  in  a china  bowl, 
with  a spoon  of  silver ! They  had  been  bought  for  me  with- 
out my  knowledge,  by  my  wife,  and  had  cost  her  the  enor- 
mous sum  of  three  and  twenty  shillings,  for  which  she  had 
no  other  excuse  or  apology  to  make,  but  that  she  thought 
her  husband  deserved  a silver  spoon  and  china  bowl  as  well 
as  any  of  his  neighbours.  This  was  the  first  appearance 
of  plate  and  china  in  our  house ; which  afterwards,  in  a 
course  of  years,  as  our  wealth  increased,  augmented 
gradually  to  several  hundred  pounds  in  value. 

I had  been  religiously  educated  as  a Presbyterian ; bvl 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


91 


though  some  of  the  dogmas  of  that  persuasion,  such  BM 
the  eternal  decrees  of  God,  election,  reprobation,  appeared 
to  me  unintelligible,  others  doubtful,  and  I early  absented 
myself  from  the  public  assemblies  of  the  sect,  Sunday 
being  my  studying  day,  I never  was  without  some 
religious  principles.  I never  doubted,  for  instance,  the  | 
existence  of  a Deity— that  he  made  the  world  and  governed  \ 
it  by  his  providence — that  the  most  acceptable  service  of  | 
God  was  the  doing  good  to  man — that  our  souls  are  im-  : 
mortal— and  that  all  crimes  will  be  punished,  and  virtue  | 
rewarded,  either  here  or  hereafter.  These  I esteemed  the  I 
essentials  of  every  religion  ; and,  being  to  be  found  in  all 
the  religions  we  had  in  our  country,  I respected  them  all, 
though  with  different  degrees  of  respect,  as  I found  them 
more  or  less  mixed  with  other  articles,  which,  without  any 
tendency  to  inspire,  promote,  or  confirm  morality,  served 
principally  to  divide  us,  and  make  us  unfriendly  to  one 
another.  This  respect  to  all,  with  an  opinion  that  the 
worst  had  some  good  effects,  induced  me  to  avoid  all  dis- 
course that  might  tend  to  lessen  the  good  opinion  another 
might  have  of  his  own  religion;  and  as  our  province 
increased  in  people,  and  new  places  of  worship  were  con- 
tinually wanted,  and  generally  erected  by  voluntary  contri- 
bution, my  mite  for  such  purpose,  whatever  might  be  the 
sect,  was  never  refused. 

Though  I seldom  attended  any  public  worship,  I had 
still  an  opinion  of  its  propriety,  and  of  its  utility,  when 
rightly  conducted,  and  I regularly  paid  my  annual  sub- 
scription for  the  support  of  the  only  Presb}i;erian  minister 
or  meeting  we  had  in  Philadelphia.  He  used  to  visit  me 
sometimes  as  a friend,  and  admonish  me  to  attend  his 
administrations ; and  I was  now  and  then  prevailed  on  to 
do  so  ; once  for  five  Sundays  successively.  Had  he  been  in 
my  opinion  a good  preacher,  perhaps  I might  have 


continued,  notwithstanding  the  occasion  I had  for  Sunday’s 
leisure  in  my  course  of  study;  but  his  discourses  were 
chiefly  either  polemic  arguments,  or  explications  of  the 
peculiar  doctrines  of  our  sect,  and  were  all  to  me  very 
dry,  uninteresting,  and  unedifying;  since  not  a single 
moral  principle  was  inculcated  or  enforced;  their  aim 
seeming  to  be  rather  to  make  us  Presbyterians  than  good 
Htizens, 

At  length  he  took  for  his  text  that  verse  of  the  fourth 
chapter  to  the  Philippians : Finally , brethren^  whatsoever 

things  are  true,  honesty  just,  pure,  lovely,  or  of  good  report,  if 
there  be  any  virtue,  or  any  praise,  think  on  these  thing s,^^ 
And  I imagined,  in  a sermon  on  such  a text,  we  could  not 
miss  of  having  some  morality.  But  he  confined  himself  to 
five  points  only,  as  meant  by  the  apostle  : 1.  Keeping  holy 
the  Sabbath  day.  2.  Being  diligent  in  reading  the  holy 
Scriptures.  3.  Attending  duly  the  public  worship.  4. 
Partaking  of  the  Sacrament.  6.  Paying  a due  respect  to 
God’s  ministers.  These  might  be  all  good  things ; but,  as 
they  were  not  the  kind  of  good  things  that  I expected  from 
that  text,  I despaired  of  ever  meeting  with  them  from  any 
other,  was  disgusted,  and  attended  his  preaching  no  more. 
I had  some  years  before  composed  a little  liturgy  or  form 
of  prayer,  for  my  own  private  use  (in  1728),  entitled. 
Articles  of  Belief  and  Acts  of  Religion.  I returned  to  the 
use  of  this,  and  went  no  more  to  the  public  assemblies. 
My  conduct  might  be  blameable,  but  I leave  it,  without 
attempting  further  to  excuse  it;  my  present  purpose 
being  to  relate  facts,  and  not  to  make  apologies  for 
them. 

It  was  about  this  time  I conceived  the  bold  and  arduous 

■oject  of  arriving  at  moral  perfection.  I wished  to  live 
without  committing  any  fault  at  any  time,  and  to  conquer 
all  that  either  natural  inclination  custom  or  company. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


93 


0^ 


might  lead  me  into.  As  I knew,  or  thought  I knew,  what  I 
was  right  and  wrong,  I did  not  see  why  I might  not  alway$ 
do  the  one  and  avoid  the  other.  But  I soon  found  I had 
undertaken  a task  of  more  difficulty  than  I had  imagined. 
While  my  attention  was  taken  up,  and  care  employed  in 
guarding  against  one  fault,  I was  often  surprised  by  another ; 
habit  took  the  advantage  of  inattention ; inclination  was  i 
sometimes  too  strong  for  reason.  I concluded  at  length, 
that  the  mere  speculative  conviction,  that  it  was  our  in- 
terest to  be  completely  virtuous,  was  not  sufficient  to  pre- 
vent our  slipping ; and  that  the  contrary  habits  must  be 
broken,  and  good  ones  acquired  and  established,  before  we 
can  have  any  dependence  on  a steady,  uniform  rectitude  of  | 
conduct.  For  this  purpose  I therefore  tried  the  following  I 
method. 

In  the  various  enumerations  of  the  moral  virtues  I had 
met  with  in  my  reading,  I found  the  catalogue  more  or  less 
numerous,  as  different  writers  included  more  or  fewer  ideas 
under  the  same  name.  Temperance^  for  example,  was  by 
gome  confined  to  eating  and  drinking ; while  by  others  it 
was  extended  to  mean  the  moderating  every  other  pleasure, 
appetite,  inclination,  or  passion,  bodily  or  mental,  even  to 
our  avarice  and  ambition.  I proposed  to  myself,  for  the 
Kike  of  clearness,  to  use  rather  more  names,  with  fewer  ideas 
annexed  to  each,  than  a few  names  with  more  ideas  ; and  I 
included  under  thirteen  names  of  virtues,  all  that  at  that  time 
occurred  to  me  as  necessary  or  desirable ; and  annexed  to 
each  a short  precept,  which  fuUy  expressed  the  extent  I gave 
to  its  meaning. 

These  names  of  virtues^  with  their  precepts,  were  : 

1.  Temperance. — ^Eat  not  to  dulness ; drink  not  to  ele- 
vation. 

2.  Silence. — Speak  not  but  what  may  benefit  othert  or 


yourself ; avoid  trifiing  conversatiaEL  , ^ 

A.  U^.- 


94 


BENJAMIN  PEANKLIN. 


3.  Ohdbb. — Let  all  your  things  have  their  places;  jlet  each 

^4.  — V,,,,; 1 -*A„  i.: 'n  ^ K. 


part  of  your  business  have  its  time.^ 


to  ^*^*^^*' 


4.  Kesolution. — Resolve  to  perform  what  you  ought 
perform  without  fail  what  you  resolve.  ^ ^ 

6.  Frugality. — Make  no  expense  bui  to  do  good  to 
others  or  yourself ; that  is,  waste  nothing. 

6.  Industry. — Lose  no  time;  he  always  employed  in 
something  useful ; cut  off  aU  unnecessary  actions. 

7.  Sincerity. — Use  no  hurtful  deceit ; think  innocently 
and  justly;  and,  if  you  speak,  speak  accordingly. 

8.  Justice. — "Wrong  none  by  doing  injuries,  or  omitting 
the  benefits  that  are  your  duty. 

9.  Moderation. — Avoid  extremes  ; forbear  resenting  in- 
juries, so  much  as  you  think  they  deserve. 

10.  Cleanliness. — Tolerate  no  uncleanliness  in  body, 
clothes,  or  habitation. 

11.  Tranquillity. — Be  not  disturbed  at  trifles,  or  at  ac- 
cidents common  or  unavoidable. 

12.  Chastity ' 


^13.  Humility. — Imitate  Jesus  and  Socrates. 

' My  intention  being  to  acquire  the  habitude  of  all  these 


virtues,  I judged  it  would  he  well  not  to  distract  my  atten- 
tion by  attempting  the  whole  at  once,  but  to  fix  it  on  one  of 
them  at  a time  ; and,  when  I should  he  master  of  that,  then 
to  proceed  to  another ; and  so  on,  till  I should  have  gone 
through  the  thirteen.  And,  as  the  previous  acquisition  of 
some  might  facilitate  the  acquisition  of  certain  others,  I 
arranged  them  with  that  view,  as  they  stand  above.  7>m- 
perance  first,  as  it  tends  to  procure  that  coolness  and  clear- 
ness of  head  which  is  so  necessary,  where  constant  vigilance 
was  to  be  kept  up,  and  a guard  maintained  against  the  un- 
^•emitting  attraction  of  ancient  habits  and  the  force  of 
perpetual  temptations.  This  being  acquired  and  established, 
would  be  more  easy ; and  my  desire  being  to  gain 


caojr  , cuxu  uiy  uoaikv  uouig  gain  m ^ 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


d5 


knowledge,  at  the  sam  e time  that  I improved  in  virtue,  and 
considering  that  in  conversation  it  was  obtained  rather  by 
the  use  of  the  ear  than  of  the  tongue,  and  therefore  wishing 
to  break  a habit  I was  getting  into  of  prattling,  punning, 
and  jesting,  which  only  made  me  acceptable  to  trifling 
company,  I gave  Silence  the  second  place.  ITiis  and  the 
next.  Order y I expected  would  allow  me  more  time  for  at- 
tending to  my  project  and  my  studies.  Hesolution,  once 
become  habitual,  would  keep  me  firm  in  my  endeavours  to 
obtain  all  the  subsequent  virtues  ; Frugality  and  Industry 
relieving  me  from  my  remaining  debt,  and  producing  afflux 
ence  and  independence,  would  make  more  easy  the  practice 
of  Sincerity  and  Justicey  &c.,  &c.  Conceiving  then,  that, 
agreeably  to  the  advice  of  Pythagoras  in  his  Golden  Verses, 
daily  examination  would  be  necessary,  I contrived  the  fol- 
lowing method  for  conducting  that  examination. 

I made  a little  book,  in  which  I allotted  a page  for  each 
of  the  virtues.  I ruled  each  page  with  red  ink,  so  as  to 
have  seven  columns,  one  for  each  day  of  the  week,  marking 
each  column  with  a letter  for  the  day.  I crossed  these 
columns  with  thirteen  red  lines,  marking  the  beginning  of 
each  line  with  the  first  letter  of  one  of  the  virtues  ; on  which 
line,  and  in  its  proper  column,  I might  mark,  by  a little 
black  spot,  every  fault  I found  upon  examination  to  have 
been  committed  respecting  that  virtue,  upon  that  day.* 

I determined  to  give  a week’s  strict  attention  to  each  of 
the  virtues  successively.  Thus,  in  the  first  week,  my  great 
guard  was  to  avoid  every  the  least  offence  against  Temper- 
mce ; leaving  the  other  virtues  to  their  ordinary  chance, 
only  marking  every  evening  the  faults  of  the  day.  Thus,  if  in 
the  first  week  I could  keep  my  first  line,  marked  T,  clear  of 
spots,  I supposed  the  habit  of  that  virtue  so  much 
strengthened,  and  its  opposite  weakened,  that  I might 
• This  little  book  U dated  Sunday.  1st  Jfdjr.  1733.— W.  T.  F. 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


venture  extending  my  attention  to  include  the  next,  and  for 
the  following  week  keep  both  lines  clear  of  'spots.  Pro- 
ceeding thus  to  the  last,  I could  get  through  a course  com- 
plete in  thirteen  weeks,  and  four  courses  in  a year.  And 
like  him,  who,  having  a garden  to  weed,  does  not  attempt 
to  eradicate  all  the  bad  herbs  at  once,  which  would  exceed 
his  reach  and  his  strength,  but  works  on  one  of  the  beds  at 
a time,  and,  having  accomplished  the  first,  proceeds  to  the 
second  ; so  I should  have,  I hoped,  the  encouraging  pleasure 
of  seeing  on  my  pages  the  progress  made  in  virtue,  by 
dealing  successively  my  lines  of  their  spots ; till  in  the  end, 

OF  THE  PAGES. 


TEMPERANCE. 

Eat  not  to  dulness  ; drink  not  to  elevation. 


Sun. 

M. 

T. 

W. 

Th. 

P. 

S. 

Tern. 

Sil. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Ord. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Res. 

• 

Pru. 

• 

• 

Ind. 

« 

Sine. 

Jus. 

Mod. 

Clea. 

Tran. 

Chas. 

Hum. 

BENJAMIN  3TRANKLIN.  97 

A niimb0r  of  courses,  I should  be  happy  in  viewing  a 
clean  hook,  after  a thirteen  weeks’  daily  examination. 

This  my  little  book  had  for  its  motto,  these  lines  from 
Addison’s  Cato  : 

**  Here  will  I hold.  If  there’s  a power  above  ns, 

(And  that  there  is,  all  nature  cries  aloud 
Through  all  her  works,)  He  must  delight  in  virtue; 

And  that  which  he  delights  in  must  be  happy,** 

Another  from  Cicero : 

‘|0  vitee  Philosophia  dux  I O virtutum  indagatrix  expultrixque 
Titiorum  1 TJnus  dies,  bene  et  ex  praaceptis  tuis  actus,  peccanti  im- 
uortalitati  est  anteponendus.'* 

Another  from  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon,  speaking  of  wisdom 
or  virtue: 

“ Length  of  days  is  in  her  right  hand,  and  in  her  left  hand  riches 
and  honour.  Her  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths 
are  peace.** 

And  conceiving  God  to  be  the  fountain  of  wisdom,  I 
thought  it  right  and  necessary  to  solicit  his  assistance  for 
obtaining  it;  to  this  end  I formed  the  following  little 
prayer,  which  was  prefixed  to  my  tables  of  examination,  for 
daily  use : 

0 powerful  Goodness  I bountiful  Father  f merciful  Guide  1 In- 
crease in  me  that  wisdom,  which  discovers  my  truest  interest. 
Strengthen  my  resolution  to  perform  what  that  wisdom  dictates. 
Accept  my  kind  offices  to  thy  other  children,  as  the  only  return  in 
my  power  for  thj  continual  favours  to  me,** 

1 used  also  sometimes  a little  prayer  which  I took  from 
Thomson’s  Foems,  viz.. 

Father  of  light  and  life,  thou  Good  Supreme  1 
O teach  mo  what  is  good  j teach  me  Thyself  1 
Save  me  from  folly,  vanity,  and  vice. 

From  every  low  pursuit  j and  feed  my  soul 
With  knowledge,  conscious  peace,  and  virtue  purt) 

Sacred*  substantial  never-fading  bliss  1 ** 


98 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


The  precept  of  Order  requiring  that  every  part  of  my  huti* 
ness  should  have  its  allotted  time,  one  page  in  my  little  book 
contained  the  following  scheme  of  employment  for  the 
twenty-four  hours  of  a natural  day. 

I entered  upon  the  execution  of  this  plan  for  self-examina- 
tion, and  continued  it  with  occasional  intermissions  for  some 
time.  I was  surprised  to  find  myself  so  much  fuller  of  faults 
than  I had  imagined  ; but  I had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
them  diminish.  To  avoid  the  trouble  of  renewing  now  and 
then  my  little  book,  which,  by  scraping  out  the  marks  on 
the  paper  of  old  faults  to  make  room  for  new  ones  in  a new 
course,  became  fiill  of  holes,  I transferred  my  tables  and 
precepts  to  the  ivory  leaves  of  a memorandum  book,  on  which 
the  lines  were  drawn  with  red  ink,  that  made  a durable 


SCHEME. 


Hours. 


Morning. 

The  Question.  What  good 
■hall  1 do  this  dayf 


Noos. 


Rise,  wash,  and  address  Power- 
ful  Goodness  I Contrive  day's 
business,  and  tiike  the  resolution 
of  the  day : prosecute  the  present 
study,  breakfast. 

Work. 

Read,  or  look  over  mj 
counts,  and  dine. 


The 

hftvel 


Attxbnoov. 

Evening. 

Question,  What  good 
done  to-day  P 


Work. 

Put  things  in  their  plnoee. 
Supper.  Musio  or  diversion,  or 
conversaticoL  Examination  d 
the  day. 


Sleep. 


Ml 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


9Sf 

•tain ; and  on  those  lines  I marked  my  faults  with  a black- 
lead  pencil;  which  marks  I could  easily  wipe  out  with  a 
wet  sponge.  After  awhile  I went  through  one  course  only 
in  a year;  and  afterwards  only  one  in  several  years, 
till  at  length  I omitted  them  entirely,  being  employed  in 
voyages  and  business  abroad  with  a multiplicity  of  affairs 
that  interfered ; but  I always  carried  my  little  book  with 
me. 

My  scheme  of  Order  gave  me  the  most  trouble ; and  I 
found,  that,  though  it  might  be  practicable  where  a man’s 
business  was  such  as  to  leave  him  the  disposition  of  his  time, 
that  of  a journeyman  printer  for  instance,  it  was  not  possible 
to  be  exactly  observed  by  a master,  who  must  mix  with  the 
world,  and  often  receive  people  of  business  at  their  own 
hours.  Order,  too,  with  regard  to  places  for  things,  papers, 
&c.,  I found  extremely  difficult  to  acquire.  I had  not  been 
early  accustomed  to  method^  and,  having  an  exceedingly  good 
memory,  I was  not  so  sensible  of  the  inconvenience  attend- 
ing want  of  method.  This  article,  therefore,  cost  me  much 
painful  attention,  and  my  faults  in  it  vexed  me  so  much, 
and  I made  so  little  progress  in  amendment,  and  had  such 
frequent  relapses,  that  I was  almost  ready  to  give  up  the 
attempt,  and  content  myself  with  a faulty  character  in  that 
respect.  Like  the  man,  who,  in  buying  an  axe  of  a smith, 
my  neighbour,  desired  to  have  the  whole  of  its  surface  as 
bright  as  the  edge.  The  smith  consented  to  grind  it  bright 
for  him,  if  he  would  turn  the  wheel ; he  turned,  while  the 
smith  pressed  the  broad  face  of  the  axe  hard  and  heavily 
on  the  stone  which  made  the  turning  of  it  very  fatiguing. 
The  man  came  every  now  and  then  from  the  wheel  to  see 
how  the  work  went  on ; and  at  length  would  take  his  axe 
as  it  was,  without  further  grinding.  No,”  said  the  smith, 
turn  on,  turn  on,  we  shall  have  it  bright  by-and-by ; as  yet 
it  is  only  speckled.”  « Yes,”  said  the  man,  « but  1 think  1 


100 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


\%k$  a $p$Med  axe  hest.'^  And  I believe  this  may  have  been 
the  case  with  many,  who,  having  for  want  of  some  such 
means  as  I employed  found  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  good 
and  breaking  bad  habits  in  other  points  of  vice  and  virtue 
have  given  up  the  struggle,  and  concluded  that  “ a speck- 
led axe  is  best.^*  For  something,  that  pretended  to  be 
reason,  was  every  now  and  then  suggesting  to  me,  that 
such  extreme  nicety  as  I exacted  of  myself  might  be  a kind 
of  foppery  in  morals,  which,  if  it  were  known,  would  make 
me  ridiculous ; that  a perfect  character  might  be  attended 
with  the  inconvenience  of  being  envied  and  hated ; and  that 
a benevolent  man  should  allow  a few  faults  in  himself  to 
keep  his  friends  in  countenance. 

In  truth,  I found  myself  incorrigible  with  respect  to 
Order ; and  now  I am  grown  old,  and  my  memory  bad,  I 
feel  very  sensibly  the  want  of  it.  But  on  the  whole,  though 
I never  arrived  at  the  perfection  I had  been  so  ambitious  of 
obtaining,  but  fell  far  short  of  it,  yet  I was,  by  the  endeav- 
our, a better  and  a happier  man  than  I otherwise  should 
have  been,  if  I had  not  attempted  it ; as  those  who  aim  at 
perfect  writing  by  imitating  the  engraved  copies,  though 
they  never  reach  the  wished-for  excellence  of  those  copies, 
their  hand  is  mended  by  the  endeavour,  and  is  tolerable 
while  it  continues  fair  and  legible. 

It  may  be  well  my  posterity  should  be  informed,  that  tc 
this  little  artifice,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  their  ancestor 
owed  the  constant  felicity  of  his  life,  down  to  his  seventy- 
ninth  year,  in  which  this  is  written.  What  reverses  may 
attend  the  remainder  is  in  the  hand  of  Providence  ; but,  if 
they  arrive,  the  refiection  on  past  happiness  enjoyed  ought 
to  help  his  bearing  them  with  more  resignation.  To  Tem- 
perance he  ascribes  his  long  continued  health,  and  what  is 
■till  left  to  him  of  a good  constitution ; to  Industry  and  Frugal- 
Up  the  early  easiness  of  his  circumstances  and  acquisition  of 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


101 


hifl  fortune,  with  all  that  knowledge  that  enabled  him  to  be 
a useful  citizen,  and  obtained  for  him  some  degree  of  repu- 
tation among  the  learned ; to  Sincerity  and  Justice,  the  con- 
fidence of  his  country,  and  the  honourable  employs  it  con- 
ferred -upon  him ; and  to  the  joint  influence  of  the  whole 
mass  of  the  virtues,  even  in  the  imperfect  state  he  was  able 
to  acquire  them,  all  that  evenness  of  temper,  and  that  cheer- 
fulness in  conversation,  which  makes  his  company  still  sought 
for,  and  agreeable  even  to  his  young  acquaintance.  I hope, 
therefore,  that  some  of  my  descendants  may  follow  the 
example  and  reap  the  benefit. 

It  will  be  remarked,  that,  though  my  scheme  was  not 
▼holly  without  religion,  there  was  in  it  no  mark  of  any  of 
^e  distinguishing  tenets  of  any  particular  sect.  I had  pur- 
posely avoided  them ; for,  being  fully  persuaded  of  the  utility 
and  excellency  of  my  method,  and  that  it  might  be  serviceable 
'to  people  in  all  religions,  and  intending  some  time  or  other 
to  publish  it,  I would  not  have  anything  in  it  that  should 
prejudice  any  one,  of  any  sect,  against  it.  I proposed  writ- 
ing a little  comment  on  each  virtue,  in  which  I would  have 
shown  the  advantages  of  possessing  it,  and  the  mischiefs 
attending  its  opposite  vice ; I should  have  called  my  book 
The  Art  of  Virtue,  because  it  would  have  shown  the  means 
and  manner  of  obtaining  virtue,  which  would  have  distin- 
guished it  from  the  mere  exhortation  to  be  good,  that  does 
not  instruct  and  indicate  the  means ; but  is  like  the  Apostle’s 
man  of  verbal  charity,  who,  without  showing  to  the  naked 
and  hungry  how  or  where  they  might  get  clothes  or 
▼ictuals,  only  exhorted  them  to  be  fed  and  clothed.  Jcmes 
ii.  15,  16. 

But  it  so  happened  that  my  intention  of  writing  and  pub- 
lishing this  comment  was  never  fulfilled.  I had,  indeed, 
from  time  to  time,  put  down  short  hints  of  the  sentiments 
and  reasonings  to  be  made  use  of  in  it ; some  of  which  1 


102 


BENJAMIN  FUANELIN. 


have  still  by  me ; but  the  necessary  close  attention  to  pri- 
#vate  business  in  the  earlier  part  of  life,  and  public  business 
since,  have  occasioned  my  postponing  it.  For,  it  being 
connected  in  my  mind  with  a great  and  extensive  project^  that 
required  the  whole  man  to  execute,  and  which  an  unforeseen 
succession  of  employs  prevented  my  attending  to,  it  has 
hitherto  remained  unfinished. 

In  this  piece  it  was  my  design  to  explain  and  enforce 
this  doctrine,  that  vicious  actions  are  not  hurtful  because  they 
are  forbidden ^ but  forbidden  because  they  are  hurtful^  the 
nature  of  man  alone  considered;  that  it  was,  therefore, 
everyone’s  interest  to  be  virtuous,  who  wished  to  be  happy 
even  in  this  world ; and  I should  from  this  circumstance 
(there  being  always  in  the  world  a number  of  rich  mer* 
chants,  nobility,  states,  and  princes,  who  have  need  of 
honest  instruments  for  the  management  of  their  affairs, 
and  such  being  so  rare)  have  endeavoured  to  convince 
young  persons  that  no  qualities  are  so  likely  to  make  a poor 
man’s  fortune  as  those  oi  probity  and  integrity. 

My  list  of  virtues  contained  at  first  but  twelve;  but  a 
1 Quaker  friend  having  kindly  informed  me  that  I was 
! generally  thought  proud  ; that  my  pride  showed  itself  fre- 
quently in  conversation  ; that  I was  not  content  with  being 
in  the  right  when  discussing  any  point,  but  was  overbear- 
iing,  and  rather  insolent,  of  which  he  convinced  me  by 
mentioning  several  instances ; I determined  to  endeavour 
to  cure  myself,  if  I could,  of  this  vice  or  folly  among  the 
rest ; and  I added  Humility  to  my  list,  giving  an  extensive 
meaning  to  the  word. 

4 I cannot  boast  of  much  success  in  acquiring  the  reality  of 
*lthis  virtue,  but  I had  a good  deal  with  regard  to  the 
appearance  of  it.  I made  it  a rule  to  forbear  all  direct 
contradiction  to  the  sentiments  of  others,  and  all  positive 
assertion  of  my  own.  I even  forbid  myself  agreeably  to 


BENJAMIN  PEANKLIN. 


103 


the  old  laws  of  our  Junto,  the  use  of  every  word  or  expres-^ 
tion  in  the  language  that  imported  a fixed  opinion ; such  as^ 
certainly,  undoubtedly,  &c.,  and  I adopted  instead  of  them,  f 
I conceive,  I apprehend,  or  I imagine,  a thing  to  be  so  or  so ; i 
or  it  so  appears  to  me  at  present.  When  another  asserted  • 
something  that  I thought  an  error,  I denied  myself  the 
pleasure  of  contradicting  him  abruptly,  and  of  showing 
immediately  some  absurdity  in  his  proposition;  and  in 
answering  I began  by  observing,  that,  in  certain  cases  or 
circumstances,  his  opinion  would  be  right,  but  in  the 
present  case  there  appeared  or  seemed  to  me  some  difference, 
&c.  I soon  found  the  advantage  of  this  change  in  my 
manners ; the  conversations  I engaged  in  went  on  more  / 
pleasantly.  The  modest  way  in  which  I proposed  myl 
opinions,  procured  them  a readier  reception  and  less  con-  ^ 
tradiction  ; I had  less  mortification,  when  I was  found  to  be 
in  the  wrong ; and  I more  easily  prevailed  with  others  to 
give  up  their  mistakes  and  join  with  me,  when  I happened  i 
to  be  in  the  right.  * 

And  this  mode,  which  I at  first  put  on  with  some  violencet 
to  natural  inclination,  became  at  length  easy,  and  so(^ 
habitual  to  me,  that  perhaps  for  the  last  fifty  years  no  one  / 
has  ever  heard  a dogmatical  expression  escape  me.  And  tof 
this  habit  (after  my  character  of  integrity)  I think  it  prin-  J 
cipaUy  owing  that  I had  early  so  much  weight  with  my  , 
fellow-citizens,  when  I proposed  new  institutions  or  altera- 
tions  in  the  old  ; and  so  much  influence  in  public  councile, 
when  I became  a member ; for  I was  but  a bad  speaker, . 
never  eloquent,  subject  to  much  hesitation  in  my  choice  of' 
words,  hardly  correct  in  language,  and  yet  I generally  I 
carried  my  point.  ^ 

In  reality  there  is,  perhaps,  no  one  of  our  natural  passions^ 
80  hard  to  subdue  as  pride.  Disguise  it,  struggle  with  it,J 
stifle  it,  mortify  it  as  much  as  one  pleases,  it  is  still  alive,  | 


104 


BENJAMIN  FRANKBIN. 


^ and  will  every  now  and  then  peep  out  and  show  itself ; you 

(will  see  it,  perhaps,  often  in  this  history.  For,  even  if  1 
ek)uld  conceive  that  I had  completely  overcome  it|  I should 
probably  be  prwd  of  my  humility. 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

Having  mentioned  a great  and  extensive  project y which  I had 
conceived,  it  seems  proper  that  some  account  should  be 
here  given  of  that  project  and  its  object.  Its  first  rise  in 
my  mind  appears  in  the  following  little  paper,  accidentally 
preserved,  viz : 

**  Observations  on  my  reading  history  in  the  Library,  May  9th,  178L 

“ That  the  great  affairs  of  the  world,  the  wars  and  revolutioiui, 
are  carried  on  and  effected  by  parties. 

“ That  the  view  of  these  parties  is  their  present  general  interest, 
or  what  they  take  to  be  such, 

**  That  the  different  views  of  these  different  parties  occasion  all 
eonfusion. 

“ That  while  a party  is  carrying  on  a general  design,  each  miiw 
has  his  particular  private  interest  in  view. 

“That  as  soon  as  a party  has  gained  its  general  point,  each 
memher  becomes  intent  upon  his  particular  interest ; which, 
thwarting  others,  breaks  that  party  into  divisions,  and  occasions 
more  confusion. 

“ That  few  in  public  affairs  act  from  a mere  view  of  the  good  of 
their  country,  whatever  they  may  pretend  ; and,  though  their 
actings  bring  real  good  to  their  country,  yet  men  primarily  consi- 
dered that  their  own  and  their  country’s  interest  were  united,  and 
BO  did  not  act  from  a principle  of  benevolence. 

“ That  fewer  still  in  public  affairs  act  with  a view  to  the  good  of 
mankind. 

“ There  seems  to  me  at  present  to  be  great  occasion  for  raising  a 
United  Party  for  Virtue,  by  forming  the  virtuous  and  good  men  of 
all  natious  into  a regular  body,  to  be  governed  by  suitable  good  and 


BENJAMIN  FRANlOilN. 


105 


wIm  rales,  wUoli  good  and  wise  men  maj  probably  be  more 
{majumous  in  their  obedience  to  than  common  people  are  to 
common  laws. 

**  I at  present  {think  that  whoever  attempts  this  aright,  and  is 
well  qualified,  cannot  fail  of  pleasing  God  and  of  meeting  with 
•access.*' 


Revolving  this  project  in  my  mind,  as  to  be  undertaken 
hereafter,  when  my  circumstances  should  afford  me  the 
necessary  leisure,  I put  down  from  time  to  time  on  pieces 
of  paper  such  thoughts  as  occurred  to  me  respecting  it. 
Most  of  these  are  lost ; but  I find  one  purporting  to  be  the 
substance  of  an  intended  creed,  containing,  as  I thought, 
the  essentials  of  every  known  religion,  and  being  free  of 
everything  that  might  shock  the  professors  of  any  religion. 
It  is  expressed  in  these  words ; viz : 


That  there  is  one  God,  who  made  all  things, 

- '*  That  He  governs  the  world  by  His  providence. 

That  He  ought  to  be  worshipped  by  adoration,  prayer,  and 
thanksgiving. 

**  But  that  the  most  acceptable  service  to  God  is  doing  good  tc 
man. 

“ That  the  soul  is  immortal. 

“And  that  God  will  certainly  reward  virtue  and  punish  vice, 
either  here  er  hereafter.** 


My  ideas  at  that  time  were  that  the  sect  should  be 
begun  and  spread  at  first  among  young  and  single  men 
only;  that  each  person  to  be  initiated  should  not  only 
declare  his  assent  to  such  creed,  but  should  have  exercised 
himself  with  the  thirteen  weeks’  examination  and  practice 
of  the  virtues,  as  in  the  before-mentioned  model ; that  the 
existence  of  such  a society  should  be  kept  a secret,  till  it 
was  become  considerable,  to  prevent  solicitations  for  the 
admission  of  improper  persons;  but  that  the  members 
should,  each  of  them,  search  among  his  acquaintance  for 
ingenious,  well-disposed  youths,  to  whom,  with  prudent 


106 


BENJAMIN  FKANKllN. 


caution,  the  scheme  should  he  gradually  communjcated. 
That  the  members  should  engage  to  afford  their  advice, 
assistance,  and  support  to  each  other  in  promoting  one 
another’s  interest,  business,  and  advancement  in  life. 
That,  for  distinction,  we  should  he  called  the  society  or 
THE  FREE  AND  EASY.  Free,  as  being,  by  the  general 
practice  and  habits  of  the  virtues,  free  from  the  dominion 
of  vice ; and  particularly,  by  the  practice  of  industry  and 
frugality,  free  from  debt,  which  exposes  a man  to  con- 
straint, and  a species  of  slavery  to  his  creditors. 

This  is  as  much  as  I can  now  recollect  of  the  project, 
except  that  I communicated  it  in  part  to  two  young  men 
who  adopted  it  with  some  enthusiasm ; but  my  then  narrow 
circumstances,  and  the  necessity  I was  under  of  sticking 
close  to  my  business,  occasioned  my  postponing  the  further 
prosecution  of  it  at  that  time ; and  my  multifarious  occu- 
pations, public  and  private,  induced  me  to  continue  post- 
poning, so  that  it  has  been  omitted,  till  I have  no  longer 
strength  or  activity  left  sufficient  for  such  an  enterprise. 
^Though  I am  still  of  opinion  it  was  a practicable  scheme, 
and  might  have  been  very  useful,  by  forming  a great 
number  of  good  citizens  ; and  I was  not  discouraged  by  the 
seeming  magnitude  of  the  undertaking,  as  I have  always 
' thought,  that  one  man  of  tolerable  abilities  may  work  great 
changes,  and  accomplish  great  affairs  among  mankind,  if 
he  first  forms  a good  plan  ; and,  cutting  off  all  amusements 
or  other  employments,  that  would  divert  his  attention, 
I makes  the  execution  of  that  same  plan  his  sole  study  and 
{business. 

In  1732,  I first  published  my  Almanac,  under  the  name 
of  Richard  Saunders;  it  was  continued  by  me  about  twenty- 
five  years,  and  commonly  called  Poor  Richard's  Almanac » 
1 endeavoured  to  make  it  both  entertaining  and  useful, 
and  it  accordingly  came  to  be  in  such  demand,  that  1 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


107 


feaped  considerable  profit  from  it : vending  annually  near 
ten  thousand.  And  observing  that  it  was  generally  read, 
scarce  any  neighbourhood  in  the  province  being  without 
it,  I considered  it  as  a proper  vehicle  for  conveying  in- 
struction among  the  common  people,  who  bought  scarcely 
any  other  books.  I therefore  filled  all  the  little  spaces, 
that  occurred  between  the  remarkable  days  in  the  Calendar, 
with  proverbial  sentences,  chiefly  such  as  inculcated  in- 
dustry and  frugality,  as  the  means  of  procuring  wealth, 
and  thereby  securing  virtue ; it  being  more  difficult  for 
a man  in  want  to  act  always  honestly,  as,  to  use  here  one  of 
those  proverbs,  it  is  hard  for  an  empty  sack  to  stand  upright. 

These  proverbs,  which  contained  the  wisdom  of  many 
ages  and  nations,  I assembled  and  formed  into  a connected 
discourse  prefixed  to  the  Almanac  of  1757,  as  the  harangue 
of  a wise  old  man  to  the  people  attending  an  auction. 
The  bringing  all  these  scattered  counsels  thus  into  a focus, 
enabled  them  to  make  greater  impression.  The  piece, 
being  universally  approved,  was  copied  in  all  the  news- 
papers of  the  American  Continent,  reprinted  in  Britain  on 
a large  sheet  of  paper,  to  be  stuck  up  in  houses ; two  trans- 
lations were  made  of  it  in  France,  and  great  numbers  bought 
by  the  clergy  and  gentry,  to  distribute  gratis  among  their 
poor  parishioners  and  tenants.  In  Pennsylvania,  as  it  dis- 
coui'aged  useless  expense  in  foreign  superfluities,  some 
thought  it  had  its  share  of  influence  in  producing  that 
growing  plenty  of  money,  which  was  observable  for  several 
years  after  its  publication. 

I considered  my  newspaper,  also,  as  another  means  of 
communicating  instruction,  and  in  that  view,  frequently 
reprinted  in  it  extracts  from  the  Spectator and  other  moral 
writers ; and  sometimes  published  little  pieces  of  my  own, 
which  had  been  first  composed  for  reading  in  our  J unto. 
Of  these  are  a Socratic  dialogue,  tending  to  prove,  that| 


108 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


whatever  might  he  his  parts  and  abilities,  a vicious  man  could 
not  properly  be  called  a man  of  sense ; and  a discourse  on 
•elf-denial,  showing  that  virtue  was  not  secure,  till  its  prac- 
tice became  a habitude^  and  was  free  from  the  opposition  of 
contrary  [inclinations.  These  may  be  found  in  the  papers 
about  the  beginning  of  1735. 

In  the  conduct  of  my  newspaper,  I carefully  excluded  all 
libelling  and  personal  abuse,  which  is  of  late  years  become 
io  disgraceful  to  our  country.  Whenever  I was  solicited 
to  insert  anything  of  that  kind,  and  the  writers  pleaded, 
as  they  generally  did,  the  liberty  of  the  press — and  that  a 
newspaper  was  like  a stage-coach,  in  which  any  one  who 
would  pay  had  a right  to  a place — my  answer  was,  that  I 
would  print  the  piece  separately  if  desired,  and  the  author 
might  have  as  many  copies  as  he  pleased  to  distribute  him- 
•elf,  but  that  I would  not  take  upon  me  to  spread  his  de- 
traction, and  that,  having  contracted  with  my  subscriberf 
to  iumish  them  with  what  might  be  either  useful  or  enter- 
taining, I could  not  fill  their  papers  with  private  alterca- 
tion, in  which  they  had  no  concern,  without  doing  them 
manifest  injustice.  Now,  many  of  our  printers  make  no 
scruple  of  gratifying  the  malice  of  individuals,  by  false 
accusations  of  the  fairest  characters  among  ourselves, 
augmenting  animosity  even  to  the  producing  of  duels ; and 
are,  moreover,  so  indiscreet  as  to  print  scurrilous  reflections' 
on  the  government  of  neighbouring  states,  and  even  on  th® 
conduct  of  our  best  national  allies,  which  may  be  attended 
with  the  most  pernicious  consequences.  These  things  I 
mention  as  a cauition  to  young  printers,  and  that  they  may 
be  encouraged  not  to  pollute  their  presses,  and  disgrace 
their  profession  by  such  infamous  practices,  but  refuse 
steadily ; as  they  may  see  by  my  example,  that  such  a 
course  of  conduct  will  not  on  the  whole  be  injurious  to  theiv 
interests. 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


109 


In  1733,  I Bent  one  of  my  journeymen  to  Charleston, 
South  Carolina,  where  a printer  was  wanting.  T furnished 
him  with  a press  and  letters,  on  an  agreement  of  partner- 
ship, by  which  I was  to  receive  one-third  of  the  profits 
of  the  business,  paying  one-third  of  the  expense.  He 
was  a man  of  learning,  but  ignorant  in  matters  of  ac- 
count; and,  though  he  sometimes  made  me  remittances, 
I could  get  no  account  from  him,  nor  any  satisfactory 
Btate  of  our  partnership  while  he  lived.  On  his  decease, 
the  business  was  continued  by  his  widow,  who,  being  bom 
and  bred  in  Holland,  where,  as  I have  been  informed, 
the  knowledge  of  accounts  makes  a part  of  female  educa- 
tion, she  not  only  sent  me  as  clear  a statement  as  she 
could  find  of  the  transactions  past,  but  continued  to  ac- 
count with  the  greatest  regularity  and  exactness  every 
quarter  afterwards,  and  managed  the  business  with  such 
success,  that  she  not  only  reputably  brought  up  a family 
of  children,  but,  at  the  expiration  of  the  term,  was  able 
to  purchase  of  me  the  printing-house,  and  establish  her  son 
in  it. 

I mention  this  affair  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  recommending 
that  branch  of  education  for  our  young  women,  as  likely  to 
be  of  more  use  to  them  and  their  children,  in  case  of  widow- 
hood, than  either  music  or  dancing ; by  preserving  them  from 
losses  by  imposition  of  crafty  men,  and  enabling  them  to  con- 
tinue, perhaps,  a profitable  mercantile  house,  with  estab- 
lished correspondence,  till  a son  is  grown  up  fit  to  undertake 
and  go  on  with  it,  to  the  lasting  advantage  and  enriching  of 
the  family. 

About  the  year  1734,  there  arrived  among  us  a young 
Presbyterian  preacher,  named  Hemphill,  who  delivered  with 
a good  voice,  and  apparently  extempore,  most  excellent  dis- 
courses, which  drew  together  considerable  numbers  of  dif- 
ferent persuasions,  who  joined  in  admiring  them.  Among 


110 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


the  rest,  I became  one  of  his  constant  hearers,  his  sermons 
pleasing  me,  as  they  had  little  of  the  dogmatical  kind,  but 
inculcated  strongly  the  practice  of  virtue,  or  what  in  the 
religious  style  are  called  good  works.  Those,  however,  of 
our  congregation,  who  considered  themselves  as  orthodox 
Presbyterians,  disapproved  his  doctrine,  and  were  joined  by 
most  of  the  old  ministers,  who  airaigned  him  of  heterodoxy 
before  the  sjmod,  in  order  to  have  him  silenced.  I became 
his  zealous  partisan,  and  contributed  all  I could  to  raise  a 
party  in  his  favour,  and  combated  for  him  awhile  with  some 
hopes  of  success.  There  was  much  scribbling  pro  and  con 
upon  the  occasion,  and  finding,  that,  though  an  elegant 
preacher,  he  was  but  a poor  writer,  I wrote  for  him  two  or 
three  pamphlets,  and  a piece  in  the  Gazette  of  April,  1735. 
Those  pamphlets,  as  is  generally  the  case  with  contro- 
versial writings,  though  eagerly  read  at  the  time,  were  soon 
out  of  vogue,  and  I question  whether  a single  copy  of  them 
now  exists. 

During  the  contest  an  unlucky  occurrence  hurt  his  cause 
exceedingly.  One  of  our  adversaries  having  heard  him 
preach  a sermon,  that  was  much  admired,  thought  he 
had  somewhere  read  the  sermon  before,  or  at  least  a part 
of  it.  On  searching,  he  found  that  part  quoted  at  length,  in 
one  of  the  British  Reviews,  from  a discourse  of  Dr.  Foster’s. 
This  detection  gave  many  of  our  party  disgust,  who  accord- 
ingly abandoned  his  cause,  and  occasioned  our  more  speedy 
discomfiture  in  the  synod.  I stuck  by  him,  however.  I 
rather  approved  his  giving  us  good  sermons  composed  by 
others,  than  bad  ones  of  his  own  manufacture ; though  the 
latter  was  the  practice  of  our  common  teachers.  He  after- 
wards acknowledged  to  me  that  none  of  those  he  preached 
were  his  own,  adding,  that  his  memory  was  such,  as  enabled 
him  to  retain  and  repeat  any  sermon  after  once  reading  only. 
On  OUT  defeat,  he  left  us  in  search  elsewhere  of  bettes 


BENJAMIN  FRANB^LIN. 


Ill 


fortune,  and  I quitted  the  congregation,  never  attending  it 
•fter,  though  I continued  many  years  my  subscription  for 
the  support  of  its  ministers. 

I had  begun  in  1733  to  study  languages;  I soon  madet 
myself  so  much  a master  of  the  French,  as  to  he  able  to  read  ) 
the  books  in  that  language  with  ease.  I then  undertook  \ 
the  Italian.  An  acquaintance,  who  was  also  learning  it,  ’ 
used  often  to  tempt  me  to  play  chess  with  him.  Finding  ( 
this  took  up  too  much  of  the  time  I had  to  spare  for  study,  | 
I at  length  refused  to  play  any  more,  unless  on  this  condi-  f 
tion,  that  the  victor  in  every  game  should  have  a right) 
to  impose  a task,  either  of  parts  of  the  grammar,  to  be' 
got  by  heart,  or  in  translations,  which  tasks  the  van- 
quished  was  to  perform  upon  honour  before  our  next/ 
meeting.  As  we  played  pretty  equally,  we  thus  beat  one  . 
another  into  that  language.  I afterwards,  with  a little/ 
pains-taking,  acquired  as  much  of  the  Spanish  as  to  read  / 
their  books  also.  I 

I have  already  mentioned  that  I had  only  one  year’s  in- 
struction in  a Latin  school,  and  that  when  very  young,  after 
which  I neglected  that  language  entirely.  But,  when  I 
had  attained  an  acquaintance  with  the  French,  Italian,  and 
Spanish,  I was  surprised  to  find,  on  looking  over  a Latin 
Testament,  that  I understood  more  of  that  language  than  I 
had  imagined  ; which  encouraged  me  to  apply  myself  again 
to  the  study  of  it,  and  I met  with  more  success,  as  those 
preceding  languages  had  greatly  smoothed  my  way. 

From  these  circumstances  I have  thought  there  is  some 
inconsistency  in  our  common  mode  of  teaching  languages. 
We  are  told  that  it  is  proper  to  begin  first  with  the  Latin, 
and  having  acquired  that  it  will  be  more  ea^  to  attain  those 
modem  languages  which  are  derived  from  it ; and  yet  we  do 
not  begin  with  the  Greek,  in  order  more  easily  to  acquire 
the  Latin.  It  is  true  that  if  we  can  clan»ber  and  get  to  the 


112 


BENJAMIN  PRANKLIN. 


top  of  a staircase  without  using  the  steps,  n*©  shall  mor» 
easily  gain  them  in  descending ; hut  certainly  if  we  heg^ 
with  the  lowest,  we  shall  with  more  ease  ascend  to  the  top  ; 
and  I would  therefore  offer  it  to  the  consideration  of  those 
who  superintend  the  education  of  our  youth,  whether,  since 
many  of  those,  who  begin  with  the  Latin,  quit  the  same 
after  spending  some  years  without  having  made  any  great 
proficiency,  and  what  they  have  learned  becomes  almost 
useless,  so  that  their  time  has  been  lost,  it  would  not  have 
been  better  to  have  begun  with  the  French,  proceeding  to 
the  Italian  and  Latin  ? For  though  after  spending  the  same 
time  they  should  quit  the  study  of  languages  and  never 
arrive  at  the  Latin,  they  would  however  have  acquired 
another  tongue  or  two,  that,  being  in  modern  use,  might  be 
serviceable  to  them  in  common  life. 

After  ten  years’  absence  from  Boston,  and  having  become 
easy  in  my  circumstances,  I made  a journey  thither  to  visit 
my  relations  ; which  I wuld  not  sooner  afford.  In  return* 
ing  I called  at  Newport  to  see  my  brother  James,  then  settled 
there  with  his  printing-house.  Our  former  differences  were 
forgotten,  and  our  meeting  was  very  cordial  and  affectionate. 
He  was  fast  declining  in  health,  and  requested  me  that,  in 
case  of  his  death,  which  he  apprehended  was  not  far  distant, 
I would  take  home  his  son,  then  but  ten  years  of  age,  and 
bring  him  up  to  the  printing  business.  This  I accordingly 
performed  ; sending  him  a few  years  to  school  before  I took 
him  into  the  office.  His  mother  carried  on  the  business  till 
he  was  grovm  up,  when  I assisted  him  with  an  assortment  of 
new  types,  those  of  his  father  being  in  a manner  worn  out. 
Thus  it  was  that  I made  my  brother  ample  amends  for  the 
service  I had  deprived  him  of  by  leaving  him  so  early. 

In  1736,  T lost  one  of  my  sons,  a fine  boy  of  four  years 
old,  by  the  smallpox,  taken  in  the  common  way.  I long  re- 
gretted him  bitterly,  and  still  regret  that  I had  nor  given  ii 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


113 


lo  him  by  inoculation.  THs  I mention  for  the  sake  of 
parents  who  omit  that  operation  on  th«  supposition  that 
they  should  never  forgive  themselves  if  a child  died  under 
it ; my  example  showing  that  the  regret  may  he  the  same 
either  way,  and  therefore  that  the  safer  should  he  chosen. 

Our  cluh,  the  Junto,  was  found  so  useful,  and  afforded 
such  satisfaction  to  the  members,  that  some  were  desirous 
of  introducing  their  friends,  which  could  not  well  he  done 
without  exceeding  what  we  had  settled  as  a convenient 
number,  viz.  twelve.  We  had  from  the  beginning  made  it 
a rule  to  keep  our  institution  a secret,  which  was  pretty  well 
observed  ; the  intention  was  to  avoid  applications  of  improper 
persons  for  admittance,  some  of  whom,  perhaps,  we  might 
find  it  difficult  to  refuse.  I was  one  of  those  who  were 
against  any  addition  to  our  number,  but  instead  of  it  made 
in  writing  a proposal  that  every  member  separately  should 
endeavour  to  form  a subordinate  club,  with  the  same  rules 
respecting  queries,  &c.,  and  without  informing  them  of  the 
connection  with  the  J unto.  The  advantages  proposed  were 
the  improvement  of  so  many  more  young  citizens  by  the  use 
of  our  institutions  ; our  better  acquaintance  with  the  general 
sentiments  of  the  inhabitants  on  any  occasion,  as  the  Junto 
member  might  propose  what  queries  we  should  desire,  and 
was  to  report  to  the  Junto  what  passed  at  his  separate 
club ; the  promotion  of  our  particular  interests  in  business 
by  more  extensive  recommendation,  and  the  increase  of  our 
influence  in  public  affairs,  and  our  power  of  doing  good  by 
spreading  through  the  several  clubs  the  sentiments  of  the 
Junto. 

The  project  was  approved,  and  every  member  undertook 
to  form  his  club  5 but  they  did  not  all  succeed.  Five  or  six 
only  were  completed,  which  were  called  by  different  names, 
as  the  FinCf  the  Union j the  Band,  They  were  useful  to 
themselves,  and  afforded  us  a good  deal  of  amusement,. 


114 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


information,  and  instruction ; besides  answering,  in  som^ 
considerable  degree,  our  views  of  influencing  the  public  on 
particular  occasions ; of  which  I shall  give  some  instances 
in  course  of  time  as  they  happened. 

My  first  promotion  was  my  being  chosen,  in  1736,  clerk 
of  the  General  Assembly.  The  choice  was  made  that  year 
without  opposition ; but  the  year  following,  when  I was 
again  proposed  (the  choice,  like  that  of  the  members,  being 
annual),  a new  member  made  a long  speech  against  me,  in 
order  to  favour  some  other  candidate.  I was,  however,  chosen, 
which  was  the  more  agreeable  to  me,  as,  besides  the  pay  for 
the  immediate  service  of  clerk,  the  place  gave  me  a better 
opportunity  of  keeping  up  an  interest  among  the  members, 
which  secured  to  me  the  business  of  printing  the  votes,  laws, 
paper-money,  and  other  occasional  jobs  for  the  public,  that, 
on  the  whole,  were  very  profitable. 
j I therefore  did  not  like  the  opposition  of  this  new  member, 
j who  was  a gentleman  of  fortune  and  education,  with  talents 
I that  were  likely  to  give  him  in  time  great  influence  in  the 
I House,  which  indeed  afterwards  happened.  I did  not,  how- 
I ever,  aim  at  gaining  his  favour  by  paying  any  servile  respect 
I to  him,  but,  after  some  time,  took  this  other  method.  Having 
heard  that  he  had  in  his  library  a certain  very  scarce  and 
curious  book,  I wrote  a note  to  him,  expressing  my  desire 
of  perusing  that  book,  and  requesting  that  he  would  do  me 
the  favour  of  lending  it  to  me  for  a few  days.  He  sent  it 
immediately ; and  I returned  it  in  about  a week  with  another 

I note,  expressing  strongly  the  sense  of  the  favour.  When 
we  next  met  in  the  House  he  spoke  to  me,  which  he  had 
never  done  before,  and  with  great  civility ; and  he  ever 
after  manifested  a readiness  to  serve  me  on  all  occasions,  so 
that  we  became  great  friends,  and  our  friendship  continued 
to  his  death.  This  is  another  instance  of  the  truth  of  an 
pld  maxim  I had  teamed,  which  says,  “ Jffe  that  hat  onet  dom 


8ENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


115 


fftn  a kindness  will  be  more  ready  to  do  you  another ^ than  he 
whom  you  yourself  have  obliged^  And  it  shows  how  much 
more  profitable  it  is  prudently  to  remove,  than  to  resent,  re- 
turn, and  continue,  inimical  proceedings. 

In  1737,  Colonel  Spotswood,  late  governor  of  Virginia^ 
and  then  postmaster-general,  being  dissatisfied  with  the 
conduct  of  his  deputy  at  Philadelphia,  respecting  some 
negligence  in  rendering,  and  want  of  exactness  in  framing, 
his  accounts,  took  from  him  the  commission  and  offered  it 
to  me.  1 accepted  it  readily,  and  found  it  of  great  advan- 
tage : for,  though  the  salary  was  small,  it  facilitated  the 
correspondence  that  improved  my  newspaper,  increased  the 
number  demanded,  as  well  as  the  advertisements  to  he 
inserted,  so  that  it  came  to  afford  me  a considerable  income. 
My  old  competitor’s  newspaper  declined  proportionably,  and 
I was  satisfied  without  retaliating  his  refusal,  while  post- 
master, to  permit  my  papers  being  carried  by  the  riders. 
Thus  he  suffered  greatly  from  his  neglect  in  due  accounting ; 
and  I mention  it  as  a lesson  to  those  young  men,  who  may 
be  employed  in  managing  affairs  for  others,  that  they  should 
always  render  accounts,  and  make  remittances,  with  great 
clearness  and  punctuality.  The  character  of  observing  such 
a conduct  is  the  most  powerful  of  all  recommendations  ta 
new  employments  and  increase  of  business. 

I began  now  to  turn  my  thoughts  to  public  affairs,  be- 
ginning,  however,  with  small  matters.  The  city  watch  waa 
one  of  the  first  things  that  I conceived  to  want  regulation. 
It  was  managed  by  the  constables  of  the  respective  wards  in 
turn ; the  constable  summoned  a number  of  housekeepers  ta 
attend  him  for  the  night.  Those,  who  chose  never  to  attend, 
paid  him  six  shillings  a year  to  be  excused,  which  was- 
•opposed  to  go  to  hiring  substitutes,  but  was  in  reality  much 
more  than  was  necessary  for  that  purpose,  and  made  the  con- 
•tableahip  a place  of  profit : and  the  constable,  for  a littlo 


116 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


drink,  often  got  such  ragamuffins  about  him  as  a watch,  thaft 
respectable  housekeepers  did  not  choose  to  mix  with. 
Walking  the  rounds,  too,  was  often  neglected,  and  most  of 
the  nights  spent  in  tippling.  I thereupon  wrote  a paper,  to 
be  read  in  the  Junto,  representing  these  irregularities,  but 
insisting  more  particularly  on  the  inequality  of  the  six 
shilling  tax  of  the  constable,  respecting  the  circumstances 
of  those  who  paid  it ; since  a poor  widow  housekeeper,  all 
whose  property  to  be  guarded  by  the  watch  did  not  perhaps 
exceed  the  value  of  fifty  pounds,  paid  as  much  as  the 
wealthiest  merchant,  who  had  thousands  of  pounds*  worth 
of  goods  in  his  stores. 

On  the  whole  I proposed  as  a more  effectual  watch  the 
hiring  of  proper  men  to  serve  constantly  in  the  business,  and 
as  a more  equitable  way  of  supporting  the  charge,  the  levy- 
ing a tax  that  should  be  proportioned  to  the  property. 
This  idea,  being  approved  by  the  Junto,  was  communicated 
to  the  other  clubs,  but  as  originating  in  each  of  them ; and 
though  the  plan  was  not  immediately  carried  into  execution, 
yet,  by  preparing  the  minds  of  people  for  the  change,  it 
paved  the  way  for  the  law  obtained  a few  years  after, 
when  the  members  of  our  clubs  were  grown  into  more 
influence. 

About  this  time  I wrote  a paper  (first  to  be  read  in  the 
Junto,  but  it  was  afterwards  published)  on  the  different 
accidents  and  carelessnesses  by  which  houses  were  set  on 
fire,  with  cautions  against  them,  and  means  proposed  of 
avoiding  them.  This  was  spoken  of  as  a useful  piece,  and 
gave  rise  to  a project,  which  soon  followed  it,  of  forming 
a cx)mpany  for  the  more  ready  extinguishing  of  fires,  and 
mutual  assistance  in  removing  and  securing  of  goods  when 
in  danger.  Associates  in  this  scheme  were  presently  found 
amounting  to  thirty.  Our  articles  of  agreement  obliged 
«very  member  to  keep  always  in  good  order,  and  fit  for 


BENJAMIN  FBANKLIK. 


117 


a certain  number  of  leathern  buckets,  with  strongs  hags  and 
baskets  (for  packing  and  transporting  of  goods),  which  were 
to  be  brought  to  every  fire,  and  we  agreed  about  once  a 
month  to  spend  a social  evening  together,  in  discoursing 
and  communicating  such  ideas  as  occurred  to  us  upon  the 
subject  of  fires,  as  might  be  useful  in  our  conduct  on  such 
occasions. 

The  utility  of  this  institution  soon  appeared,  and  many 
more  desiring  to  be  admitted  than  we  thought  convenient  for 
one  company,  they  were  advised  to  form  another,  which  was 
accordingly  done : and  thus  went  on  one  new  company  after 
another,  tiU  they  became  so  numerous  as  to  include  most  of 
the  inhabitants  who  were  men  of  property  ; and  now,  at  the 
time  of  my  writing  this,  though  upwards  of  fifty  years  since 
its  establishment,  that  which  I first  formed,  called  the  Union 
Fire  Company^  still  subsists ; though  the  first  members  are 
aU  deceased  but  one,  who  is  older  by  a year  than  I am. 
The  fines  that  have  been  paid  by  members  for  absence  at 
the  monthly  meetings  have  been  applied  to  the  purchase  of 
fire-engines,  ladders,  fire-hooks,  and  other  useful  implements 
for  each  company ; so  that  I question  whether  there  is  a 
city  in  the  world  better  provided  with  the  means  of  putting 
a stop  to  beginning  conflagrations  ; and,  in  fact,  since  these 
institutions,  the  city  has  never  lost  by  fire  more  than  one  or 
two  houses  at  a time,  and  the  flames  have  often  been  ex- 
tinguished before  the  house  in  whioh  they  began  has  bees 
half  consumed. 


118 


BENJAMIN  FBANELnr. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

1739,  arrived  among  us  from  Ireland  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Whitefield,  who  had  made  himself  remarkable  there  as  an 
itinerant  preacher.  He  was  at  first  permitted  to  preach  in 
some  of  our  churches ; but  the  clergy,  taking  a dislike  to 
him,  soon  refused  him  their  pulpits,  and  he  was  obliged  to 
preach  in  the  fields.  The  multitudes  of  all  sects  and  de- 
nominations that  attended  his  sermons  were  enormous,  and 
it  was  a matter  of  speculation  to  me,  who  was  one  of  the 
number,  to  observe  the  extraordinary  influence  of  his 
oratory  on  his  hearers,  and  how  much  they  admired  and 
respected  him,  notwithstanding  his  common  abuse  of  them, 
by  assuring  them,  they  were  naturally  half  beasts  and  half 
devils.  It  was  wonderful  to  see  the  change  soon  made  in 
the  manners  of  our  inhabitants.  From  being  thoughtless 
or  indifferent  about  religion,  it  seemed  as  if  all  the  world 
were  growing  religious,  so  that  one  could  not  walk  through 
the  town  in  an  evening  without  hearing  psalms  sung  in 
different  families  of  every  street. 

A nd  it  being  found  inconvenient  to  assemble  in  the  open 
sir,  subject  to  its  inclemencies,  the  building  of  a house  to 
■lef  t in  was  no  sooner  proposed,  and  persons  appointed  to 
feceive  contributions,  than  sufficient  sums  were  soon  received 
to  procure  the  ground,  and  erect  the  building,  which  was 
one  hundred  feet  long  and  seventy  broad ; and  the  work 
was  carried  on  with  such  spirit  as  to  bo  finished  in  a much 
shorter  time  than  could  have  been  expected.  Both  house 
and  ground  were  vested  in  trustees,  expressly  for  the  use  of 
any  preacher  of  any  religious  persuasion^  who  might  desire  to 
say  something  to  the  people  at  Philadelphia  • the  design  in 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


UB 

building  being  not  to  accommodate  any  particular  sect,  but 
tbe  inhabitants  in  general ; so  that  even  if  the  Mufti  of 
Constantinople  were  to  send  a missionary  to  preach 
Mahometanism  to  us,  he  would  find  a pulpit  at  his  service. 

Mr.  Whitefield,  on  leaving  us,  went  preaching  all  the 
way  through  the  colonies  to  Georgia.  The  settlement  of 
that  province  had  been  lately  begun,  but,  instead  of  being 
made  with  hardy,  industrious  husbandmen,  accustomed  to 
labour,  the  only  people  fit  for  such  an  enterprise,  it  was 
with  families  of  broken  shopkeepers  and  other  insolvent 
debtors  ^ many  of  indolent  and  idle  habits,  taken  out  of  the 
jails,  who,  being  set  down  in  the  woods,  unqualified  for 
clearing  land,  and  unable  to  endure  the  hardships  of  a new 
settlement,  perished  in  numbers,  leaving  many  helpless 
children  unprovided  for.  The  sight  of  their  miserable 
situation  inspired  the  benevolent  heart  of  Mr.  Whitefield 
with  the  idea  of  building  an  Orphan  House  there,  in  which 
they  might  be  supported  and  educated.  Returning  north- 
ward, he  preached  up  this  charity,  and  made  large  collec- 
tions; for  his  eloquence  had  a wonderful  power  over  the 
hearts  and  purses  of  his  hearers,  of  which  I myself  was  an 
instance. 

I did  not  disapprove  of  the  design,  but,  as  Georgia  was 
then  destitute  of  materials  and  workmen,  and  it  was  pro- 
posed to  send  them  from  Philadelphia  at  a great  expense,  I 
thought  it  would  have  been  better  to  have  built  the  house 
at  Philadelphia,  and  brought  the  children  to  it.  This  I 
advised;  but  he  was  resolute  in  his  first  project,  rejected 
my  counsel,  and  I therefore  refused  to  contribute.  I hap- 
pened soon  after  to  attend  one  of  his  sermons,  in  the 
course  of  which  I perceived  he  intended  to  finish  with  a 
collection,  and  I silently  resolved  that  he  should  get  nothing 
from  me.  I had  in  my  pocket  a handful  of  copper  money, 
three  or  four  silver  dollars,  and  five  pistoles  in  «:old.  As  he 


120 


BENJAMIN  PRANKLnr. 


proceeded  I began  to  soften,  and  concluded  to  give  the 
copper.  Another  stroke  of  his  oratory  made  me  ashamed 
of  that,  and  determined  me  to  give  the  silver;  and  he. 
finished  so  admirably,  that  I emptied  my  pocket  wholly 
into  the  collector’s  dish,  gold  and  all.  At  this  sermon 
there  was  also  one  of  our  club,  who,  being  of  my  sentiments 
respecting  the  building  in  Georgia,  and  suspecting  a collec- 
tion might  be  intended,  had  by  precaution  emptied  bi« 
pockets  before  he  came  from  home.  Towards  the  con- 
clusion of  the  discourse,  however,  he  felt  a strong  inclina- 
tion to  give,  and  applied  to  a neighbour,  who  stood  near 
him,  to  lend  him  some  money  for  the  purpose.  The 
request  was  fortunately  made  to  perhaps  the  only  mg-Ti  in 
the  company  who  had  the  firmness  not  to  be  affected  by  the 
preacher.  His  answer  was,  ‘‘At  any  other  time,  friend 
Hopkinson,  I would  lend  to  thee  freely,  but  not  now,  for 
thee  seems  to  be  out  of  thy  right  senses.” 

Some  of  Mr.  Whitefield’s  enemies  affected  to  suppose  that 
he  would  apply  these  collections  to  his  own  private  emolu- 
ment ; but  I,  who  was  intimately  acquainted  with  him,  being 
employed  in  printing  his  sermons  and  journals,  never  had 
the  least  suspicion  of  his  integrity;  but  am  to  this  day 
decidedly  of  opinion,  that  he  was  in  all  his  conduct  a 
perfectly  honest  man ; and  methinks  my  testimony  in  his 
favour  ought  to  have  the  more  weight,  as  we  had  no 
religious  connection.  He  used,  indeed,  sometimes,  to  pray 
for  my  conversion,  but  never  had  the  satisfaction  of 
believing  that  his  prayers  were  heard.  Ours  was  a mere 
civil  friendship,  sincere  on  both  sides,  and  lasted  to  his 
death. 

The  following  instance  will  show  the  terms  on  which  we 
stood.  Upon  one  of  his  arrivals  from  England  at  Boston, 
he  wrote  to  me  that  he  should  come  soon  to  Philadelphia, 
but  knew  not  where  he  could  lodge  when  there,  as  he 


BENJAMIN  franklin. 


121 


understood  his  old  friend  and  host,  Mr.  Benezet,  was 
removed  to  Germantown.  My  answer  was,  “You  know 
my  house ; if  you  can  make  shift  with  its  scanty  accommo- 
dations, you  will  he  most  heartily  welcome.”  He  replied, 
that  if  I made  that  kind  offer  for  Christ* s sake  I should  not 
miss  of  a reward.  And  I returned,  “Don’t  let  me  ho 
mistaken ; it  was  not  for  Christ* s sake,  hut  for  your  sake.” 
One  of  our  common  acquaintance  jocosely  remarked,  that, 
knowing  it  to  he  the  custom  of  the  saints,  when  they 
received  any  favour,  to  shift  the  burden  of  the  obligation 
from  off  their  own  shoulders,  and  place  it  in  heaven,  I had 
contrived  to  fix  it  on  earth. 

The  last  time  I saw  Mr.  Whitefield,  was  in  London, 
when  he  consulted  me  about  his  Orphan  House  concern, 
and  his  purpose  of  appropriating  it  to  the  establishment  of 
a college. 

He  had  a loud  and  clear  voice,  and  articulated  his  words 
so  perfectly,  that  he  might  he  heard  and  understood  at  a 
great  distance;  especially  as  his  auditors  observed  the 
most  perfect  silence.  He  preached  one  evening  from  the 
top  of  the  Court  House  steps,  which  are  in  the  middle  of 
Market  Street,  and  on  the  west  side  of  Second  Street, 
which  crosses  it  at  right  angles.  Both  streets  were  filled 
with  his  hearers  to  a considerable  distance.  Being  among 
the  hindmost  in  Market  Street,  I had  the  curiosity  to  learn 
how  far  he  could  he  heard  by  retiring  backwards  down  the 
street  towards  the  river ; and  I found  his  voice  distinct  till 
I came  near  Front  Street,  when  some  noise  in  that  street 
obscured  it.  Imagining  then  a semi-circle,  of  which  my 
distance  should  be  the  radius,  and  that  it  was  filled  with 
auditors,  to  each  of  whom  I allowed  two  square  feet,  I 
computed  that  he  might  well  be  heard  by  more  than  thirty 
thousand.  This  reconciled  me  to  the  newspaper  accounts 
ol  his  having  preached  to  twenty-five  thousand  people 


122 


BENJAMIN  EBaNKLII?. 


the  fields,  and  to  the  history  of  generals  haranguing  whola 
armies,  of  which  I had  sometimes  doubted.® 

By  hearing  him  often,  I came  to  distinguish  easily  between 
sermons  newly  composed,  and  those  which  he  had  often 
preached  in  the  course  of  his  travels.  His  delivery  of  the 
latter  was  so  improved  by  frequent  repetition,  that  every 
accent,  every  emphasis,  every  modulation  of  voice,  was  so 
perfectly  well  turned,  and  well  placed,  that,  without  being 
interested  in  the  subject,  one  could  not  help  being  pleased 
with  the  discourse ; a pleasure  of  much  the  same  kind  with 
that  received  from  an  excellent  piece  of  music.  This  is  an 
advantage  itinerant  preachers  have  over  those  who  are  sta^ 
tionary,  as  the  latter  cannot  well  improve  their  delivery  d 
a sermon  by  so  many  rehearsals. 

His  writing  and  printing  from  time  to  time  gave  great 
advantage  to  his  enemies ; unguarded  expressions,  and  even 
erroneous  opinions,  delivered  in  preaching,  might  have 
been  afterwards  explained  or  qualified  by  supposing  othen 
that  might  have  accompanied  them ; or  they  might  have 
been  denied ; hut  Htera  scripta  manet.  Critics  attacked  his 
writings  violently,  and  with  so  much  appearance  of  reason 
as  to  diminish  the  number  of  his  votaries,  and  prevent  their 
increase.  So  that  I am  satisfied,  that,  if  he  had  never 

• In  the  early  part  of  his  life,  Mr.  Whitefield  wa,s  preaching  in  an 
open  field,  when  a drummer  happened  to  he  present,  who  was 
determined  to  interrupt  his  pious  business,  and  rudely  beat  his 
drum  in  a violent  manner  in  order  to  drown  the  preacher’s  voice. 
Mr.  Whitefield  spoke  very  loud,  but  was  not  as  powerful  as  the 
instrument.  He  therefore  called  out  to  the  drummer  in  these 
words,  “ Friend,  you  and  I s(#^ve  the  two  greatest  masters  existing, 
but  in  different  callings  ; you  beat  up  for  volunteers  for  King 
George,  I for  the  Lord  Jesus.  In  God’s  name,  then,  let  us  not 
interrupt  each  other ; the  world  is  wide  enough  for  both,  and  we 
may  get  recruits  in  abundance.’*  This  speech  had  such  an  effect 
on  the  drummer  that  he  went  away  in  great  good  humour,  and  left 
the  preacher  in  full  possession  of  the  field. 


BENJAMIN  PKANKLIN. 


123 


written  anything,  he  would  have  left  behind  him  a much 
more  numerous  and  important  sect;  and  his  reputation 
might  in  that  case  have  been  still  growing  even  after  his 
death ; as,  there  being  nothing  of  his  writing  on  which  to 
found  a censure,  and  give  him  a lower  character,  his  prose- 
lytes would  he  left  at  liberty  to  attribute  to  him  as  great  a 
variety  of  excellences,  as  their  enthusiastic  admiration 
might  wish  him  to  have  possessed. 

My  business  was  now  constantly  augmenting,  and  my 
circumstances  g^rowing  daily  easier,  my  newspaper  having 
become  very  profitable,  as  being  for  a time,  almost  the  only 
one  in  this  and  the  neighbouring  provinces.  I experienced 
too,  the  truth  of  the  observation,  ^^that  after  getting  the 
first  hundred  pounds^  it  is  more  easy  to  get  the  second ; ” 
money  itself  being  of  a prolific  nature. 

The  partnership  at  Carolina  haring  succeeded,  I was  en- 
couraged to  engage  in  others,  and  to  promote  several  of  my 
workmen,  who  had  behaved  well,  by  establishing  them  in 
printing-houses  in  different  colonies,  on  the  same  terms 
with  that  in  Carolina.  Most  of  them  did  well,  being 
enabled  at  the  end  of  our  term,  six  years,  to  purchase  the 
t3rpes  of  me,  and  go  on  working  for  themselves,  by  which 
means  several  families  were  raised.  Partnerships  often 
finish  in  quarrels ; but  I was  happy  in  this,  that  mine 
were  all  carried  on  and  ended  amicably ; owing,  I think,  a 
good  deal  to  the  precaution  of  having  very  explicitly  settled, 
in  our  articles,  everything  to  be  done  by,  or  expected  from, 
each  partner,  so  that  there  was  nothing  to  dispute  ; which 
precaution  I would  therefore  recommend  to  all  who  enter 
into  partnerships  ; for,  whatever  esteem  partners  may  have 
for,  and  confidence  in,  each  other  at  the  time  of  the  con- 
tract, little  jealousies  and  disgusts  may  arise,  with  ideas  of 
inequality  in  the  care  and  burden,  business,  &c.,  which 
ftre  attended  often  with  breach  of  friendship,  and  of 


124 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


the  connection  ; perhaps  with  lawsuits  and  other  disagree 
able  consequences. 

I had,  on  the  whole,  abundant  reason  to  be  satisfied  with 
my  being  established  in  Pennsylvania.  There  were,  how- 
ever, some  things  that  I regretted,  there  being  no  provi- 
sion for  defence,  nor  for  a complete  education  of  youth ; 
no  militia,  nor  any  college.  I,  therefore,  in  1 743  drew  up 
a proposal  for  establishing  an  Academy ; and  at  that  time, 
thinking  the  Eeverend  Kichard  Peters,  who  was  out  of 
employ,  a fit  person  to  superintend  such  an  institution,  I 
communicated  the  project  to  him;  but  he,  having  more 
profitable  views  in  the  service  of  the  Proprietors,  which 
succeeded,  declined  the  undertaking;  and,  not  knowing 
another  at  that  time  suitable  for  such  a trust,  I let  the 
scheme  lie  awhile  dormant.  I succeeded  better  the  next 
year,  1744,  in  proposing  and  establishing  a Philosophical 
Society,  The  paper  I wrote  for  that  purpose  will  be  found 
among  my  writings,  if  not  lost  with  many  others. 

With  respect  to  defence,  Spain  having  been  several  year® 
at  war  against  Great  Britain,  and  being  at  length  joined 
by  France,  which  brought  us  into  great  danger ; and  the 
laboured  and  long-continued  endeavour  of  our  governor, 
Thomas,  to  prevail  with  our  Quaker  Assembly  to  pass  a 
militia  law,  and  make  other  provisions  for  the  security  of 
the  province,  having  proved  abortive,  I proposed  to  try 
what  might  be  done  by  a voluntary  subscription  of  the 
people.  To  promote  this,  I first  wrote  and  published  a 
pamphlet,  entitled  Plain  Truth,  in  which  I stated  our 
helpless  situation  in  strong  lights,  with  the  necessity  of 
union  and  discipline  for  our  defence,  and  promised  to  pro- 
pose in  a few  days  an  association,  to  be  generally  signed 
for  that  purpose.  The  pamphlet  had  a sudden  and  sur- 
prising effect.  I was  called  upon  for  the  instrument  of 
association.  Having  settled  the  draft  of  it  with  a few 


BENJAMIW  I^ANKXnr. 


125 


friends,  I appointed  a meeting  of  the  citizens  in  the  large 
building  before  mentioned.  The  house  was  pretty  full ; I 
had  prepared  a number  of  printed  copies,  and  provided 
pens  and  ink  dispersed  all  over  the  room,  I harangued 
them  a little  on  the  subject,  read  the  paper,  explained  it, 
and  then  distributed  the  copies,  which  were  eagerly  signed, 
not  the  least  objection  being  made. 

When  the  company  separated,  and  the  papers  were  col- 
lected, we  found  about  twelve  hundred  signatures ; and  other 
copies  being  dispersed  in  the  country,  the  subscribers 
amounted  at  length  to  upwards  of  ten  thousand.  These  all 
furnished  themselves  as  soon  as  they  could  with  arms,  formed 
themselves  into  companies  and  regiments,  chose  their  own 
officers,  and  met  every  week  to  be  instructed  in  the  manual 
exercise,  and  other  parts  of  military  discipline.  The  women, 
by  subscriptions  among  themselves,  provided  silk  colours, 
which  they  presented  to  the  companies,  painted  with  dif- 
ferent devices  and  mottos,  which  I supplied.  • 

• The  following  are  the  devices  and  mottos,  as  published  at  the 

time. 

"1.  A lion  erect,  a naked  scimitar  in  one  paw,  the  other  holding 
the  Pennsylvania  scutcheon.  Motto : Fotria. 

“ 2.  Threearms,  wearing  different  linen,  ruffled,  plain,  and  checked, 
the  hands  joined  by  grasping  each  other’s  wrist,  denoting  the  union 
«f  all  ranks.  Motto  : \Jnita  Virtus  Valet, 

“3.  An  eagle,  the  emblem  of  Victory,  descending  from  the  skies. 
Motto : A Deo  Victoria. 

”4.  The  figure  of  Liberty  sitting  on  a cube,  holding  a spear  with 
the  cap  of  Freedom  on  its  point.  Motto : Inestimabilis. 

'* •*  5.  An  armed  man  with  a naked  falchion  in  his  hand.  Motto : 
Beus  adjuvat  Fortes. 

“ 6.  An  elephant,  being  the  emblem  of  a warrior  always  on  hia 
gruard,  as  that  creature  is  said  never  to  lie  down,  and  hath  his  arm* 
ever  in  readiness.  Motto : Semper  Paratus. 

7.  A city  walled  round.  Motto : Salus  PatruB  Summa  Lex. 

•*  8.  A soldier  with  his  piece  recovered,  ready  to  present.  Motto  I 
me  pocem  quarimus. 


126 


BENJAMIN  PEANKLIN. 


The  officers  of  the  companies  composing  the  Philadelphia 
regiment  being  met,  chose  me  for  their  colonel,  but  con- 
ceiving myself  imfit,  I declined  that  station,  and  recom- 
mended Mr.  Lawrence,  a fine  person,  and  a man  of  influence, 
who  was  accordingly  appointed.  I then  proposed  a lottery 
to  defray  the  expense  of  building  a battery  below  the  town 
and  furnished  with  cannon.  It  filled  expeditiously,  and  the 
battery  was  soon  erected,  the  merlons  being  framed  of  logs, 
and  filled  with  earth.  We  bought  some  old  cannon  from 
Boston ; but  these  not  being  sufficient,  we  wrote  to  London 
for  more,  soliciting  at  the  same  time  our  Proprietaries  for 
some  assistance,  though  without  much  expectation  of  ob- 
taining it. 

Meanwhile  Colonel  Lawrence,  Mr.  Allen,  Abraham  Tay- 
lor, and  myself  were  sent  to  New  York  by  the  associatora, 

**9.  A coronet  and  plume  of  feathers.  Motto  : In  God  we  trtisi, 

**  10.  A man  with  a sword  drawn.  Motto  : Pro  A ris  et  Foci». 

“ 11.  Three  of  the  associators,  marching  with  their  muskets 
shouldered,  and  dressed  in  different  clothes,  intimating  the  unanim- 
ity of  the  different  sorts  of  people  in  the  Association.  Motto : Vi§ 
JJnita  Fortior, 

“12.  A musket  and  sword  crossing  each  other.  Motto : Pro 
Rege  et  Grege. 

“ 13.  Represention  of  a glory,  in  the  middle  of  which  is  wrote^ 
Jehovah-Nissi  ; in  English,  The  Lord  our  Banner. 

“14.  A castle,  at  the  gate  of  which  a soldier  stands  sentin^ 
Motto : Cavendo  Tutus, 

“ 15.  David,  as  he  advanced  against  Qoliath  and  slung  the  stonob 
Motto ; In  Nomine  Domini, 

* 16.  A lion  rampant,  one  paw  holding  up  a scimitar,  another  a 
ibeaf  of  wheat.  Motto : Domine  Protege  Alimentum. 

*•  17.  A sleeping  Uon,  Motto : Bouse  me  if  you  dare. 

**  18.  Hope,  represented  by  a woman  standing  clothed  in  blne^ 
holding  one  hand  on  an  anchor.  Motto : Speroper  deum  Vvneere. 

**  19.  Duke  of  Cumberland,  as  a general.  Motto : Pro  Deo  et  Georgia 
Rege. 

**  90.  A sailor  on  horseback.  Motto : Pro  Ltbertate  Poirirn^ 


BElTJAMIlSr  FRaNKLIW. 


127 


commissioned  to  borrow  some  cannon  of  Governor  Clinton. 
He  at  first  refused  us  peremptorily;  but  at  a dinner  with 
his  council,  where  there  was  great  drinking  of  Madeira  wine, 
as  the  custom  of  that  place  then  was,  he  softened  by  degrees,' 
and  said  he  would  lend  us  six.  After  a few  more  bumpers 
he  advanced  to  ten,  and  at  length  he  very  good-naturedly 
conceded  eighteen.  They  were  fine  cannon,  eighteen- 
pounders,  with  their  carriages,  which  were  soon  transported 
and  mounted  on  our  batteries,  where  the  associators  kept  H 
nightly  guard,  while  the  war  lasted,  and  among  the  rest  I 
regularly  took  my  turn  of  duty  there  as  a common 
vicldier. 

My  activity  in  these  operations  was  agreeable  to  the 
governor  and  councU;  they  took  me  into  confidence,  and 
1 was  consulted  by  them  in  every  measure  where  their 
concurrence  was  thought  useful  to  the  Association.  Calling 
in  the  aid  of  religion,  I proposed  to  them  the  proclaiming  a 
fast,  to  promote  reformation,  and  implore  the  blessing  of 
Heaven  on  our  undertaking.  They  embraced  the  motion  ; 
but,  as  it  was  the  first  fast  ever  thought  of  in  the  province* 
the  secretary  had  no  precedent  from  which  to  draw  the  pro- 
clamation. My  education  in  New  England,  where  a fast  is 
proclaimed  every  year,  was  here  of  some  advantage ; I drew 
it  in  the^  accustomed  style ; it  was  translated  into  German, 
prated  in^  both  languages,  and  circulated  through  the  pro- 
vince. TMs  gave  the  clergy  of  the  different  sects  an  oppor- 
tunity of  influencing  their  congregations  to  join  the  Associ- 
ation, and  it  would  probably  have  been  general  among  all 
but  the  Quakers,  if  the  peace  had  not  soon  intervened. 

It  was  thought  by  some  of  my  friends,  that,  by  my  activity 
in  these  affairs,  I should  offend  that  sect,  and  thereby  lose 
my  interest  in  the  Assembly  of  the  province,  where  they 
formed  a great  majority.  A young  man,  who  had  likewise 
some  friends  in  the  Assembly,  and  wished  to  succeed  me  as 


128 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


their  clerk,  acquainted  me,  that  it  was  decided  to  displace 
me  at  the  next  election ; and  he,  through  good  will,  advised 
me  to  resign,  as  more  consistent  with  my  honour  than  being 
turned  out.  My  answer  to  him  was,  that  I had  read  or  heard 
of  some  public  man,  who  made  it  a rule  never  to  ask  for  an 
office,  and  never  to  refuse  one  when  offered  to  him,  **  I 
approve,”  said  I,  of  this  rule,  and  shall  practise  it  with  a 
small  addition;  I shall  never  ask,  never  refuse,  nor  ever 
KK81GN  an  office.  If  they  will  have  my  office  of  clerk  to 
dispose  of  it  to  another,  they  shall  take  it  from  me.  I will 
not,  by  giving  it  up,  lose  my  right  of  some  time  or  other 
making  reprisal  on  my  adversaries.”  I heard,  however,  no 
more  of  this ; I was  chosen  again  imanimously  as  clerk  at 
the  next  election.  Possibly,  as  they  disliked  my  late  in- 
timacy with  the  members  of  Council,  who  had  joined  the 
governors  in  all  the  disputes  about  military  preparations, 
with  which  the  House  had  long  been  harassed,  they  might 
have  been  pleased  if  I would  voluntarily  have  left  them ; 
but  they  did  not  care  to  displace  me  on  account  merely  of 
my  zeal  for  the  Association,  and  they  could  not  well  gwe 
another  reason. 

Indeed,  I had  some  cause  to  believe  that  the  defence  of  the 
country  was  not  disagreeable  to  any  of  them,  provided  they 
were  not  required  to  assist  in  it.  And  I found  that  a much 
greater  number  of  them  than  I could  have  imagined,  though 
against  offensive  war,  were  clearly  for  the  defensive,  ^ Many 
pamphlets  pro  and  con  were  published  on  the  subject,  and 
some  by  good  Quakers,  in  favour  of  defence;  which,  I believe, 
convinced  most  of  their  young  people. 

A transaction  in  our  fire  company  gave  me  some  insight 
into  their  prevailing  sentiments.  It  had  been  proposed  that 
we  should  encourage  the  scheme  for  building  a battery  by 
laying  out  the  present  stock,  then  about  sixty  pounds,  in 
tickets  of  the  lottery.  By  our  rules  no  money  could  bt 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


129 


fifpo§ed,ol  till  the  next  meeting  after  the  proposal.  The  com- 
pany consisted  of  thirty  members,  of  whom  twenty-two  wew 
Quakers,  and  eight  only  of  other  persuasions.  We  eight 
punctually  attended  the  meeting,  but,  though  we  thought 
that  some  of  the  Quakers  would  join  us,  we  were  by  no  means 
sure  of  a majority.  Only  one  Quaker,  Mr.  James  Morris, 
appeared  to  oppose  the  measure.  He  expressed  much  sorrow 
that  it  had  ever  been  proposed,  as  he  said  Friends  were  all 
against  it,  and  it  would  create  such  discord  as  might  break 
up  the  company.  We  told  him  that  we  saw  no  reason  for 
that;  we  were  the  minority,  and  if  Friends  were  against 
the  measure  and  out- voted  us  we  must  and  should,  agree- 
ably to  the  usage  of  all  societies,  submit.  When  the  hour 
for  business  arrived,  it  was  moved  to  put  this  to  the  vote ; 
he  allowed  we  might  do  it  by  the  rules,  but,  as  he  could 
assure  us  that  a number  of  members  intended  to  be  present 
for  the  purpose  of  opposing  it,  k would  be  but  candid  to 
allow  a little  time  for  their  appearing. 

While  we  were  disputing  this,  a waiter  came  to  tell  me 
#iat  two  gentlemen  below  desired  to  speak  with  me.  I 
went  down,  and  found  there  two  of  our  Quaker  members. 
They  told  me  there  were  eight  of  them  assembled  at  a 
tavern  just  by ; that  they  were  determined  to  come  and  vote 
with  us  if  there  should  be  occasion,  which  they  hoped  would 
not  be  the  case,  and  desired  we  would  not  call  for  their  as- 
sistance if  we  could  do  without  it,  as  their  voting  for  such 
a measure  might  embroil  them  with  their  elders  and  friends. 
Being  thus  secure  of  a majority,  I went  up,  and,  after  a 
little  seeming  hesitation,  agreed  to  a delay  of  another  hour. 
This  Mr.  Morris  allowed  to  be  extremely  fair.  Not  one  of 
his  opposing  friends  appeared,  at  which  he  expressed  great 
surprise,  and,  at  the  expiration  of  the  hour,  we  carried  the 
res<dution  eight  to  one;  and  as  of  the  twenty-two  Quakers 
eight  were  ready  to  vote  with  us,  and  thirteen  1^  thm 

m 


ISO 


BENJAMIN  FEANKXIK. 


absence  manifested  that  they  were  not  inclined  to  oppose 
measure  ; I afterwards  estimated  the  proportion  of  Quakers 
sincerely  against  defence  as  one  to  twenty-one  only.  For 
these  were  all  regular  members  of  the  society,  and  in  good 
reputation  among  them,  and  who  had  notice  of  what  was 
proposed  at  that  meeting. 

ihe  honourable  and  learned  Mr.  Logan,  who  had  always 
been  of  that  sect,  wrote  an  address  to  them,  declaring  hia 
approbation  of  defensive  war,  and  supported  his  opinion  by 
many  strong  arguments.  He  put  into  my  hands  sixty 
pounds  to  be  laid  out  in  lottery  tickets  for  the  battery,  with 
dnections  to  apply  what  prizes  might  be  drawn  wholly  to 
that  service.  He  told  me  the  following  anecdote  of  his  old 
master,  W^illiam  Penn,  respecting  defence.  He  came  over 
from  England  when  a young  man,  with  that  Proprietary, 
and  as  his  secretary.  It  was  war  time,  and  their  ship  was 
chased  by  an  armed  vessel,  supposed  to  be  an  enemy.  Their 
captain  prepared  for  defence,  but  told  William  Penn  and 
his  company  of  Quakers  that  he  did  not  expect  their  as- 
sistance, and  they  might  retire  into  the  cabin,  which  th% 
did,  except  James  Logan,  who  chose  to  stay  upon  deck,  and 
was  quartered  to  a gun.  The  supposed  enemy  proved  a 
friend,  so  there  was  no  fighting ; but  when  the  secretary 
went  down  to  communicate  the  intelligence,  William  Penn 
rebuked  him  severely  for  staying  upon  deck,  and  under- 
taking to  assist  in  defending  the  vessel,  contrary  to  the 
principles  of  Friends,  especially  as  it  had  not  been  re- 
quired by  the  captain.  This  reprimand,  being  before  all 
the  company,  piqued  the  secretary,  who  answered,  “ I being 
thy  servant,  why  did  thee  not  order  me  to  come  down?  But 
thee  was  willing  enough  that  I should  stay  and  help  to  fight 
the  ship  when  thee  thought  there  was  danger.” 

My  being  many  years  in  the  Assembly,  a majority 
•I  which  were  constantly  Quakers,  gave  me  frequ«it 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


131 


opportunities  of  seeing  the  embarrassment  given  them  by 
their  principle  against  war,  whenever  application  was  made 
to  them,  by  order  of  the  Crown,  to  grant  aids  for  military 
purposes.  They  were  unwilling  to  offend  government,  on  the 
one  hand,  by  a diiect  refusal,  and  their  friends,  the  body  of 
the  Quakers,  on  the  other,  by  a compliance  contrary  to 
their  principles,  using  a variety  of  evasions  to  avoid  com- 
plying, and  modes  of  disguising  the  compliance  when  it  be- 
came unavoidable.  The  common  mode  at  last  was  to  grant 
money  under  the  phrase  of  its  being  “/or  the  King's  use^' 
and  never  to  inquire  how  it  was  applied. 

But  if  the  demand  was  not  directly  from  the  Crown,  that 
phrase  was  found  not  so  proper,  and  some  other  was  to  be 
invented.  Thus,  when  powder  was  wanting  (I  think  it  was 
for  the  garrison  at  Louisburg),  and  the  government  of  New 
England  solicited  a grant  of  some  from  Pennsylvania,  which 
was  much  urged  on  the  House  by  Governor  Thomas,  they 
would  not  grant  money  to  buy  powder ^ because  that  was  an 
ingredient  of  war,  but  they  voted  an  aid  to  New  England  of 
Ishree  thousand  pounds,  to  be  put  into  the  hands  of  the 
Governor,  and  appropriated  it  for  the  purchase  of  bread, 
flour,  wheat,  or  other  grain.  Some  of  the  Council,  desirous 
of  giving  the  House  still  further  embarrassment,  advised  the 
Governor  not  to  accept  that  provision,  as  not  being  the  thing 
he  had  demanded,  but  he  replied,  I shall  take  the  money, 
for  I understand  very  well  their  meaning ; other  grain  is 
gunpowder  ” ; which  he  accordingly  bought,  and  they  never 
objected  to  it. 

It  was  in  allusion  to  this  fact  that,  when  in  our  fire  com- 
pany we  feared  the  success  of  our  proposal  in  favour  of  the 
lottery,  and  I had  said  to  a friend  of  mine,  one  of  our 
members,  ‘‘  If  we  fail,  let  us  move  the  purchase  of  a fire 
engine  with  the  money,  the  Quakers  can  have  no  objection 
to  that ; and  then,  if  you  nominate  me,  and  I you,  as  a 


132 


BENJAMIN  PEANKLIN. 


committee  for  tliat  purpose,  we  will  buy  a great  gun,  which 
is  certainly  a Jire  engine,^’*  “ I see,”  said  he,  you  have 
improved  by  being  so  long  in  the  Assembly ; your  equi- 
vocal  project  would  be  just  a match  for  their  wheat  or  other 

grainy 

lliose  embarrassments  that  the  Quakers  suffered,  from 
having  established  and  published  it  as  one  of  their  principles 
that  no  kind  of  war  was  lawful,  and  which,  being  once  pub- 
lished^ they  could  not  afterwards,  however  they  might 
change  their  minds,  easily  get  rid  of,  reminds  me  of  what  I 
think  a more  prudent  conduct  in  another  sect  among  us, 
that  of  the  Bunkers.  I was  acquainted  with  one  of  its 
founders,  Micnael  Weffare,  soon  after  it  appeared.  He 
complained  to  me  that  they  were  grievously  calumniated  by 
the  zealots  of  other  persuasions,  and  charged  with  abomin- 
able principles  and  practices  to  which  they  were  utter 
strangers.  I told  him  this  had  always  been  the  case  with 
new  sects,  and  that  to  put  a stop  to  such  abuse  I imagined 
it  might  be  well  to  publish  the  articles  of  their  belief  and 
the  rules  of  their  discipline.  He  said  that  it  had  been  pro- 
posed among  them,  but  not  agreed  to  for  this  reason: 
“ When  we  were  first  drawn  together  as  a society,”  said  he, 
“ it  had  pleased  God  to  enlighten  our  minds  so  far  as  to  see 
that  some  doctrines  which  were  esteemed  truths  were  errors, 
and  that  others  which  we  had  esteemed  errors  were  real 
truths.  From  time  to  time  he  has  been  pleased  to  afford 
us  further  light,  and  our  principles  have  been  impro\’ing 
and  our  errors  diminishing.  Now  we  are  not  sure  that  we 
are  arrived  at  the  end  of  this  progression  and  at  the  per^ 
fection  of  spiritual  or  theological  knowledge,  and  we  fear 
that  if  we  should  once  print  our  confession  of  faith,  we 
should  feel  ourselves  as  if  bound  and  confined  by  it,  and 
perhaps  be  unwilling  to  receive  further  improvement,  and 
eur  successors  stUl  more  so,  as  conceiving  what  their 


BENJAMIN  FEANBXnr.  133 

and  foTinders  had  done  to  be  something  sacred — never  to  b# 
departed  from.” 

This  modesty  in  a sect  is  perhaps  a single  instance  in  the 
history  of  mankind,  every  other  sect  supposing  itself  in  pos- 
session of  all  truth,  and  that  those  who  differ  are  so  far  in 
the  wrong  ; like  a man  travelling  in  foggy  weather,  those  at 
some  distance  before  him  on  the  road  he  sees  wrapped  up  in 
the  fog  as  well  as  those  behind  him,  and  also  the  people  in 
the  fields  on  each  side,  but  near  him  all  appears  clear, 
though,  in  truth,  he  is  as  much  in  the  fog  as  any  of  them. 
To  avoid  this  kind  of  embarrassment,  the  Quakers  have  of 
late  years  been  gradually  declining  the  public  service  in  the 
Assembly  and  in  the  magistracy,  choosing  rather  to  quit 
their  power  than  their  principle. 

In  order  of  time  I should  have  mentioned  before  that 
having,  in  1742,  invented  an  open  stove  for  the  better 
warming  of  rooms,  and  at  the  same  time  saving  fuel,  as  the 
fresh  air  was  warmed  in  entering,  I made  a present  of 
the  model  to  Mr.  Robert  Grace,  one  of  my  early  friends, 
who,  having  an  iron  furnace,  found  the  casting  of  the  plates 
for  these  stoves  a profitable  thing,  as  they  were  growing  in 
demand.  To  promote  that  demand  I wrote  and  published 
a pamphlet  entitled  **  An  Account  of  the  new-invented 
Pennsylvanian  Fire-places,  wherein  there  Construction  and 
Manner  of  Operation  are  particularly  explained,  their  ad- 
vantages above  every  other  Method  of  Warming  Rooms  de- 
monstrated, and  all  Objections  that  have  been  raised  against 
the  Use  of  them  answered  and  obviated,”  &c.  This  pam- 
phlet had  a good  effect.  Governor  Thomas  was  so  pleased 
with  the  construction  of  this  stove,  as  described  in  it,  that 
he  offered  to  give  me  a patent  for  the  sole  vending  of  them 
for  a term  of  years,  but  I declined  it  from  a principle  which 
has  ever  weighed  with  me  on  such  occasions,  viz.,  that  a$ 
tfw  great  advantagee  from  the  inventions  of  otherSy  wo 


134 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


should  he  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  serve  others  hy  any  inven* 
iion  of  ourSf  and  this  we  should  do  freely  and  generously. 

An  ironmonger  in  London,  however,  assuming  a good 
deal  of  my  pamphlet,  and  working  it  up  into  his  own,  and 
making  some  small  changes  in  the  machine,  which  rather 
hurt  its  operation,  got  a patent  for  it  there,  and  made,  as  I 
was  told,  a little  fortune  by  it.  And  this  is  not  the  only  in- 
stance of  patents  taken  out  of  my  inventions  by  others, 
though  not  always  with  the  same  success ; which  I never 
contested,  as  having  no  desire  of  profiting  by  patents  my- 
self, and  hating  disputes.  The  use  of  these  fire-places  in 
very  many  houses,  both  here  in  Pennsylvania  and  the 
neighbouring  States,  has  been,  and  is,  a great  saving  of 
wood  to  the  inhabitants. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Peace  being  concluded,  and  the  Association  business  there- 
fore at  an  end,  I turned  my  thoughts  again  to  the  affair  of 
establishing  an  academy.  The  first  step  I took  was  to  as- 
sociate in  the  design  a number  of  active  friends,  of  whom 
the  Junto  furnished  a good  part ; the  next  was  to  write  and 
publish  a pamphlet,  entitled.  Proposals  relating  to  the  Educa^ 
tion  of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania,  This  I distributed  among  the 
principal  inhabitants  gratis ; and  as  soon  as  I could  suppose 
their  minds  a little  prepared  by  the  perusal  of  it,  I set  on  foot 
a subscription  for  opening  and  supporting  an  academy ; 
it  was  to  be  paid  in  quotas  yearly  for  five  years.  By  so 
dividing  it  I judged  the  subscription  might  be  larger;  and  I 
believe  it  was  sOj  amounting  to  no  less,  if  I remember  right, 
than  five  thousand  pounds. 

In  the  introduction  to  these  proposals,  I stated  thetf 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


135 


pablication  not  as  an  act  of  mine,  but  of  some  puhlie 
ipirited  gentlemen  ; avoiding  as  much  as  I could,  according 
to  my  usual  rule,  the  presenting  myself  to  the  public  as  the 
author  of  any  scheme  for  their  benefit. 

The  subscribers,  to  carry  the  project  into  immediate  exe- 
cution, chose  out  of  their  number  twenty-four  trustees,  and 
aippointed  IVIr.  Francis,  then  attorney-general,  and  myself, 
to  draw  up  constitutions  for  the  government  of  the  aca- 
demy ; which  being  done  and  signed,  a house  was  hired, 
masters  engaged,  and  the  schools  opened ; I think  in  the 
same  year,  1749. 

The  scholars  increasing  fast,  the  house  was  soon  found 
too  small,  and  we  were  looking  out  for  a piece  of  ground, 
properly  situated,  with  intent  to  build,  when  accident 
threw  into  our  way  a large  house  ready  built,  which  with  a 
few  alterations  might  well  serve  our  purpose.  This  was 
the  building  before  mentioned,  erected  by  the  hearers  of 
Mr.  Whitefield,  and  was  obtained  for  us  in  the  following 
manner. 

It  is  to  be  noted,  that  the  contributions  to  this  building 
being  made  by  people  of  different  sects,  care  was  taken  in 
the  nomination  of  trustees,  in  whom  the  building  and 
ground  were  to  be  vested,  that  a predominancy  should  not 
be  given  to  any  sect,  lest  in  time  that  predominancy  might 
be  a means  of  appropriating  the  whole  to  the  use  of  such 
sect,  contrary  to  the  original  intention.  It  was  for  this 
reason,  that  one  of  each  sect  was  appointed : viz.,  one 
Church-of-England  man,  one  Presbyterian,  one  Baptist, 
one  Moravian,  &c.,  who,  in  case  of  vacancy  by  death,  were 
to  fill  it  by  election  from  among  the  contributors.  The 
Moravian  happened  not  to  please  his  colleagues,  and  on  hii 
death  they  resolved  to  have  no  other  of  that  sect.  ITie 
difficulty  then  was,  how  to  avoid  having  two  of  some  othef 
sect,  by  means  of  the  new  choio#. 


136 


BENJAMIN  PRANKLnr. 


Several  persons  were  named,  and  for  that  reason  not 
agreed  to.  At  length  one  mentioned  me,  with  the  obser- 
vation, that  I was  merely  an  honest  man,  and  of  no  sect  at 
all,  which  prevailed  with  them  to  choose  me.  The  enthu- 
siasm, which  existed  when  the  house  was  built,  had  long 
since  abated,  and  its  trustees  had  not  been  able  to  procure 
fresh  contributions  for  paying  the  ground  rent,  and  dis- 
charging  some  other  debts  the  building  had  occasioned, 
which  embarrassed  them  greatly.  Being  now  a member  of 
both  boards  of  trustees,  that  for  the  building  and  that  for 
the  academy,  I had  a good  opportunity  of  negotiating  with 
both,  and  brought  them  finally  to  an  agreement,  by  which 
the  trustees  for  the  building  were  to  cede  it  to  those  of  the 
academy ; the  latter  undertaking  to  discharge  the  debt,  to 
keep  for  ever  open  in  the  building  a large  hall  for  occa- 
sional preachers,  according  to  the  original  intention,  and 
maintain  a free  school  for  the  instruction  of  poor  children. 
Writings  were  accordingly  drawn:  and,  on  paying  the 
debts,  the  trustees  of  the  academy  were  put  in  possession 
of  the  premises,  and,  by  dividing  the  great  and  lofty  hall 
into  stories,  and  different  rooms  above  and  below  for  the 
several  schools,  and  purchasing  some  additional  ground, 
the  whole  was  soon  made  fit  for  our  purpose,  and  the 
scholars  removed  into  the  building.  The  whole  care  and 
trouble  of  agreeing  with  the  workmen,  purchasing  mate- 
rials, and  superintending  the  work,  fell  upon  me;  and  I 
went  through  it  the  more  cheerfully,  as  it  did  not  then 
interfere  with  my  private  business  ; having  the  year  before 
taken  a very  able,  industrious,  and  honest  partner,  Mr. 
David  Hall,  with  whose  character  I was  well  acquainted,  ai 
he  had  worked  for  me  four  years.  He  took  off  my  hands 
all  care  of  the  printing-ofiace,  paying  me  punctually  my 
■hare  of  the  profits.  This  partnership  continued  eighteen 
years,  successfully  for  us  both. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


137 


The  trustees  of  the  academy,  after  a while,  were  incor- 
porated by  a charter  from  the  governor ; their  funds  were 
increased  by  contributions  in  Britain,  and  grants  of  land 
from  the  Proprietaries,  to  which  the  Assembly  has  since 
made  considerable  addition ; and  thus  was  established 
the  present  University  of  Philadelphia.  I have  been 
continued  one  of  its  trustees  from  the  beginning,  now 
near  forty  years,  and  have  had  the  very  great  pleasure 
of  seeing  a number  of  the  youth,  who  have  received  their 
education  in  it,  distinguished  by  their  improved  abilities, 
serviceable  in  public  stations,  and  ornaments  to  their 
country. 

When  I was  disengaged  myself,  as  above  mentioned, 
from  private  business,  I flattered  myself  that,  by  the 
sufficient,  though  moderate,  fortune  I had  acquired,  I had 
found  leisure  during  the  rest  of  my  life  for  philosophical 
studies  and  amusements.  I purchased  all  Dr.  Spence’s 
apparatus,  who  had  come  from  England  to  lecture  in 
Philadelphia,  and  I proceeded  in  my  electrical  experiments 
with  great  alacrity  ; but  the  public,  now  considering  me  as 
a man  of  leisure,  laid  hold  of  me  for  their  purposes  ; every 
part  of  our  civil  government,  and  almost  at  the  same  time, 
imposing  some  duty  upon  me.  The  Governor  put  me  into 
the  commission  of  the  peace ; the  corporation  of  the  city 
chose  me  one  of  the  common  council,  and  soon  after 
alderman ; and  the  citizens  at  large  elected  me  a burgess 
to  represent  them  in  the  Assembly.  This  latter  station 
was  the  more  agreeable  to  me,  as  I grew  at  length  tired 
with  sitting  there  to  hear  the  debates,  in  which,  as  clerk, 
I could  take  no  part ; and  which  were  often  so  uninterest- 
ing, that  I was  induced  to  amuse  myself  with  making 
magic  squares  or  circles,  or  anything  to  avoid  weariness ; 
and  I conceived  my  becoming  a member  would  enlarge  my 
|K)wer  of  doing  good.  I would  not,  however,  insinuate 


that  my  ambition  was  not  flattered  by  all  these  pro- 
motions; it  certainly  was,  for,  considering  my  low  be- 
ginning, they  were  great  things  to  me;  and  they  were 
•till  more  pleasing,  as  being  so  many  spontaneous  testi- 
monies of  the  public  good  opinion,  and  by  me  entirely 
unsolicited. 

The  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  I tried  a little,  by 
attending  a few  courts,  and  sitting  on  the  bench  to  hear 
causes ; but  flnding  that  more  knowledge  of  the  common 
law  than  I possessed  was  necessary  to  act  in  that  station 
with  credit,  I gradually  withdrew  from  it ; excusing 
myself  by  being  obliged  to  attend  the  higher  duties  of 
a legislator  in  the  Assembly.  My  election  to  this  trust 
was  repeated  every  year  for  ten  years,  without  my  ever 
asking  any  elector  for  his  vote,  or  signifying,  either 
directly  or  indirectly,  any  desire  of  being  chosen.  On 
taking  my  seat  in  the  House,  my  son  was  appointed  their 
clerk. 

The  year  following,  a treaty  being  to  be  held  with  the 
Indians  at  Carlisle,  the  Governor  sent  a message  to  the 
House,  proposing  that  they  should  nominate  some  of  their 
members,  to  be  joined  with  some  members  of  Council,  at 
commissioners  for  that  purpose.  The  House  named  the 
Speaker  (Mr.  Norris)  and  myself ; and,  being  commissioned, 
we  went  to  Carlisle,  and  met  the  Indians  accordingly. 

As  those  people  are  extremely  apt  to  get  drunk,  and 
when  so  are  very  quarrelsome  and  disorderly,  we  strictly 
forbade  the  selling  aiyr  liquor  to  them ; and  when  they 
complained  of  this  restriction,  we  told  them  that  if  they 
would  continue  sober  during  the  treaty,  we  would  give 
them  plenty  of  rum  when  the  business  was  over  They 
promised  tMs,  and  they  kept  their  promise,  because  they 
could  get  no  rum ; and  the  treaty  was  conducted  very 
orderly,  and  concluded  to  mutual  «atisfaction.  They  then 


i ! 


BENJAMIN  PEANKLIN. 


139 


daimed  and  received  the  rum ; this  was  in  the  afternoon. 
They  W3re  near  one  hundred  men,  women,  and  children ; 
and  were  lodged  in  temporary  cabins,  built  in  the  form  of 
a square,  just  without  the  town.  In  the  evening,  hearing 
a great  noise  among  them,  the  commissioners  walked  to 
see  what  was  the  matter.  We  found  they  had  made  a 
great  bonfire  in  the  middle  of  the  square ; they  were  all 
drunk,  men  and  women,  quarrelling  and  fighting.  Their 
dark-coloured  bodies,  half  naked,  seen  only  by  the  gloomy 
light  of  the  bonfire,  running  after  and  beating  one  another 
with  firebrands,  accompanied  by  their  horrid  yellings, 
formed  a scene  the  most  resembling  our  ideas  of  hell  that 
could  well  be  imagined.  There  was  no  appeasing  the 
tumult,  and  we  retired  to  our  lodging.  At  midnight  a 
number  of  them  came  thundering  at  our  door,  demanding 
more  rum,  of  which  we  took  no  notice. 

The  next  day,  sensible  they  had  misbehaved  in  giving 
us  that  disturbance,  they  sent  three  of  their  old  counsellors 
to  make  their  apology.  The  orator  acknowledged  the 
fault,  but  laid  it  upon  the  rum ; and  then  endeavoured  to 
excuse  the  rum,  by  saying,  “ The  Great  Spirit,  who  made 
all  things,  made  everything  for  some  use ; and  whatever 
use  he  designed  anything  for,  that  use  it  should  always  be 
put  to.  Now,  when  he  made  rum,  he  said,  * Let  this  be  for 
the  Indians  to  get  drunk  with  and  it  must  be  so.”  And, 
indeed,  if  it  be  the  design  of  Providence  to  extirpate  these 
savages  in  order  to  make  room  for  the  cultivators  of  the 
earth,  it  seems  not  impossible  that  rum  may  be  the 
appointed  means.  It  has  already  annihilated  all  the  tribes 
who  formerly  inhabited  the  sea-coast. 

In  1751,  Dr.  Thomas  Bond,  a particular  friend  of  mine, 
conceived  the  idea  of  establishing  a hospital  in  Philadelphia 
(a  very  beneficent  design,  which  has  been  ascribed  to  me, 
but  was  originally  and  truly  his),  for  the  reception  and  ours 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


14d 

of  poor  sick  persons,  whether  inhabitants  of  the  proyince 
or  strangers.  He  was  zealous  and  active  in  endeavouringf 
to  procure  subscriptions  for  it;  hut  the  proposal  being  a 
novelty  in  America,  and  at  first  not  well  understood,  he  met 
but  with  little  success. 

At  length  he  came  to  me  with  the  compliment,  that  he 
found  there  was  no  such  a thing  as  carrying  a publio- 
•pirited  project  through  without  my  being  concerned  in  it. 

For,’’  said  he,  “ I am  often  asked  by  those  to  whom  I 
propose  subscribing,  Have  you  consulted  Franklin  on  this 
business  ? jlnd  what  does  he  think  of  it  ? And  when  I tell 
them  that  I have  not,  supposing  it  rather  out  of  your  line, 
they  do  not  subscribe,  but  say,  they  will  consider  xtF  I 
inquired  into  the  nature  and  probable  utility  of  this  scheme, 
and  receiving  from  him  a very  satisfactory  explanation,  I 
not  only  subscribed  to  it  myself,  but  engaged  heartily  in  the 
design  of  procuring  subscriptions  from  others.  Previously, 
however,  to  the  solicitation,  I endeavoured  to  prepare  the 
minds  of  the  people  by  writing  on  the  subject  in  the  n^  ^vg, 
papers,  which  was  my  usual  custom  in  such  cases,  but  winch 
Dr.  Bond  had  omitted. 

The  subscriptions  afterwards  were  more  free  and  gene- 
rous ; but,  beginning  to  flag,  I saw  they  would  be  insufficient 
without  some  assistance  from  the  Assembly,  and  therefore 
proposed  to  petition  for  it,  which  was  done.  The  country 
members  did  not  at  first  relish  the  project.  They  objected 
that  it  could  only  be  serviceable  to  the  city,  and  therefore 
the  citizens  alone  should  be  at  the  expense  of  it ; and  they 
doubted  whether  the  citizens  themselves  generally  approved 
of  it.  My  allegation  on  the  contrary,  that  it  met  with  such 
approbation  as  to  leave  no  doubt  of  our  being  able  to  raise 
two  thousand  pounds  by  voluntary  donations,  they  con- 
si  dcred  as  a most  extravagant  supposition,  and  utterly 
impossible. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


141 


On  this  I formed  my  plan ; and,  asking  leave  to  bring  in 
a Bill  for  incorporating  the  contributors  according  to  the 
prayer  of  their  petition,  and  granting  them  a blank  sum  of 
money  ; which  leave  was  obtained  chiefly  on  the  considera. 
iion  that  the  House  could  throw  the  Bill  out  if  they  did  not 
like  it.  I drew  it  so  as  to  make  the  important  clause  a con- 
ditional one : viz.  **  And  be  it  enacted,  by  the  authority 
aforesaid,  that,  when  the  said  contributors  shall  have  met 
and  chosen  their  managers  and  treasurer,  and  shall  have 
raised  by  their  contributions  a capital  stock  of  two  thou£i,nd 
pounds’  value  (the  yearly  interest  of  which  is  to  he  applied 
to  the  accommodation  of  the  sick  poor  in  the  said  hospital, 
and  of  charge  for  diet,  attendance,  advice,  and  medicines) 
and  shall  make  the  same  appear  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
Speaker  of  the  Assembly  for  the  time  being ^ that  then  it  shall 
and  may  be  lawful  for  the  said  Speaker,  and  he  is  hereby 
required,  to  sign  an  order  on  the  provincial  treasurer,  for 
the  payment  of  two  thousand  pounds,  in  two  yearly  pay- 
ments, to  the  treasurer  of  the  said  hospital,  to  be  applied 
to  the  founding,  building,  and  finishing  of  the  same.” 

This  condition  carried  the  Bill  thi’ough  ; for  the  members 
who  had  opposed  the  grant,  and  now  conceived  they  might 
have  the  credit  of  being  charitable  without  the  expense, 
agreed  to  its  passage.  And  then,  in  soliciting  subscriptions 
among  the  people,  we  urged  the  conditional  promise  of  the 
law  as  an  additional  motive  to  give,  since  every  man’s 
donation  would  be  doubled;  thus  the  clause  worked  both 
ways.  The  subscriptions  accordingly  soon  exceeded  the 
requisite  sum,  and  we  claimed  and  received  the  public  gift, 
which  enabled  us  to  carry  the  design  into  execution.  A 
convenient  and  handsome  building  was  soon  erected ; the 
institution  has  by  constant  experience  been  found  useful,  and 
flourishes  to  this  day ; and  I do  not  remember  any  of  my* 
political  manoeuvres  the  success  of  which  at  the  time  gave 


142 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


me  more  pleasure,  or  wherein,  after  thinking  of  it,  I more 
easily  excused  myself  for  having  made  some  use  of 
cunning. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  another  projector,  the  Reve- 
rend Gilbert  Tennent,  came  to  me  with  a request,  that  I 
would  assist  him  in  procuring  a subscription  for  erecting  a 
new  meeting-house.  It  was  to  be  for  the  use  of  a congre- 
gation he  had  gathered  among  the  Presbyterians,  who  were 
originally  disciples  of  Mr.  Whitefield.  Unwilling  to  make 
myself  disagreeable  to  my  fellow  citizens,  by  too  frequently 
soliciting  their  contributions,  I absolutely  ref  used.  He  then 
desired  I would  furnish  him  with  a list  of  the  names  of 
persons  I knew  by  experience  to  be  generous  and  public- 
spirited.  I thought  it  would  be  unbecoming  in  me,  after 
their  kind  compliance  with  my  solicitations,  to  mark  them 
out  to  be  worried  by  other  beggars,  and  therefore  refused 
to  give  such  a list.  He  then  desired  I would  at  least  give 
him  my  advice.  “ That  I will  readily  do,”  said  I ; and, 
in  the  first  place,  I advise  you  to  apply  to  all  those  who  you 
know  will  give  something  ; next  to  those  who  you  are  un- 
certain whether  they  wiU  give  anything  or  not,  and  show 
them  the  list  of  those  who  have  given ; and  lastly,  do  not 
neglect  those  who  you  are  sure  will  give  nothing ; for  in 
some  of  them  you  may  be  mistaken.”  He  laughed  and 
thanked  me,  and  said  he  would  take  my  advice.  He 
did  so,  for  he  asked  of  everybody  ; and  he  obtained  a much 
larger  sum  than  he  expected,  with  which  he  erected  the 
capacious  and  elegant  meeting-house  that  stands  in  Arch 
Btreet. 

Our  city,  though  laid  out  with  a beautiful  regularity,  the 
streets  large,  straight,  and  crossing  each  other  at  right 
angles,  had  the  disgrace  of  suffering  those  streets  to  romam 
long  unpaved,  and  in  wet  weather  the  wheels  of  heavy 
•arriages  ploughed  them  into  a quagmire,  to  that  it  was 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


148 


difficult  to  cross  them ; and  in  dry  weather  the  dust  was 
offensive.  I had  lived  near  what  was  called  the  Jersey 
Market,  and  saw  with  pain  the  inhabitants  wading  in  mud, 
while  purchasing  their  provisions.  A strip  of  ground  down 
the  middle  of  that  market  was  at  length  paved  with  brick, 
so  that,  being  once  in  the  market,  they  had  firm  footing ; but 
were  often  over  shoes  in  dirt  to  get  there.  By  talking  and 
writing  on  the  subject,  I was  at  length  instrumental  in 
getting  the  street  paved  with  stone  between  the  market  and 
the  brick  foot  pavement,  that  was  on  the  side  next  the 
houses.  This,  for  some  time,  gave  an  easy  access  to  the 
market  dry-shod;  but,  the  rest  of  the  street  not  being 
paved,  whenever  a carriage  came  out  of  the  mud  upon  this 
pavement,  it  shook  off  and  left  its  dirt  upon  it,  and  it  was 
soon  covered  with  mire,  which  was  not  removed,  the  city  as 
yet  having  no  scavengers. 

After  some  inquiry,  I found  a poor  industrious  man,  who 
was  willing  to  undertake  keeping  the  pavement  clean,  by 
sweeping  it  twice  a week,  carrying  off  the  dirt  from  before 
all  the  neighbours’  doors,  for  the  sum  of  sixpence  per  month, 
to  be  paid  by  each  house.  I then  wrote  and  printed  a paper 
setting  forth  the  advantages  to  the  neighbourhood  that 
might  be  obtained  from  this  small  expense;  the  greater 
ease  in  keeping  our  houses  clean,  so  much  dirt  not  being 
brought  in  by  people’s  feet ; the  benefit  to  the  shops  by  more 
custom,  as  buyers  could  more  easily  get  at  them  ; and  by  not 
having  in  windy  weather  the  dust  blown  in  upon  their 
goods,  &c.,  &c.  I sent  one  of  these  papers  to  each  house, 
and  in  a day  or  two  went  round  to  see  who  would  subscribe 
an  agreement  to  pay  these  sixpences ; it  was  unanimously 
signed,  and  for  a time  well  executed.  All  the  inhabitant! 
of  the  city  were  delighted  with  the  cleanliness  of  the  pave- 
ment that  surrounded  the  market,  it  being  a convenience  to 
all,  and  this  raised  a general  desire  to  have  all  the  street! 


144 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


pared ; and  made  the  people  more  willing  to  submit  to  m 
lax  for  that  purpose. 

After  some  time  I drew  a bill  for  paving  the  city,  and 
brought  it  into  the  Assembly.  It  was  just  before  I went  to 
England, in  1757,  and  did  not  pass  tilll  was  gone, and  thea 
with  an  alteration  in  the  mode  of  assessment,  which  I 
thought  not  for  the  better;  but  with  an  additional  pro- 
vision for  lighting  as  well  as  paving  the  streets,  which  was 
a great  improvement.  It  was  by  a private  person,  the  late 
Ur.  John  Clifton,  giving  a sample  of  the  utility  of  lamps,  by 
placing  one  at  his  door,  that  the  people  were  first  impressed 
with  the  idea  of  lighting  all  the  city.  The  honour  of  this 
public  benefit  has  also  been  ascribed  to  me,  but  it  belongs 
truly  to  that  gentleman.  I did  hut  follow  his  example,  and 
have  only  some  merit  to  claim  respecting  the  form  of  our 
bunps,  as  differing  from  the  globe  lamps  we  were  at  first 
fiupplied  with  from  London.  They  were  found  inconvenient 
in  these  respects : they  admitted  no  air  below ; the  smoke 
therefore  did  not  readily  go  out  above,  but  circulated  in  the 
globe,  lodged  on  its  inside,  and  soon  obstructed  the  light 
they  were  intended  to  afford;  giving  besides  the  daily 
trouble  of  wiping  them  clean  ; and  an  accidental  stroke  (m 
ene  of  them  would  demolish  it,  and  render  it  totally  useless. 
I therefore  suggested  the  composing  them  of  four  flat  panes, 
with  a long  funnel  above  to  draw  up  the  smoke,  and  crevices 
admitting  the  air  below  to  facilitate  the  ascent  of  the  smoke ; 
by  this  means  they  were  kept  clean,  and  did  not  grow  dark 
in  a few  hours,  as  the  London  lamps  do,  but  continued 
bright  till  morning;  and  an  accidental  stroke  would  generally 
break  but  a single  pane,  easily  repaired. 

I have  sometimes  wondered  that  the  Londoners  did  not^ 
from  the  effect  holes  in  the  bottom  of  the  globe  lamps  used 
at  Vauxhall  have  in  keeping  them  clean,  learn  to  have  such 
holes  in  their  street  lamps.  But,  these  holes  being  made  lov 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


148 


•notlieT  purpose,  viz.  to  communicate  flame  more  suddenly 
to  the  wick  by  a little  flax  hanging  down  through  them,  th® 
other  use,  of  letting  in  air,  seems  not  to  have  been  thought 
of ; and,  therefore,  after  the  lamps  have  been  lit  a few  hours 
the  streets  of  London  are  very  poorly  illuminated. 

The  mention  of  these  improvements  puts  me  in  mind  of 
one  I proposed,  when  in  London,  to  Dr.  Fothergill,  who  was 
among  the  best  men  I have  known,  and  a great  pro- 
moter of  useful  projects.  I had  observed  that  the  streets, 
when  dry,  were  never  swept,  and  the  light  dust  carried 
away ; but  it  was  suffered  to  accumulate  till  wet  weather 
reduced  it  to  mud ; and  then,  after  lying  some  days  so  deep 
on  the  pavement  that  there  was  no  crossing  but  in  paths 
kept  clean  by  poor  people  with  brooms,  it  was  with  great 
labour  raked  together  and  thrown  up  into  carts,  open  above, 
the  sides  of  which  suffered  some  of  the  slush  at  every  jolt 
on  the  pavement  to  shake  out  and  fall ; sometimes  to  the 
annoyance  of  oot  passengers.  The  reason  given  for  not 
sweeping  the  dusty  streets  was,  that  the  dust  would  fly  into 
the  windows  of  shops  and  houses. 

An  accidental  occurrence  had  instructed  me  how  much 
sweeping  might  be  done  in  a little  time.  I found  at  my 
door  in  Craven  Street,  one  morning,  a poor  woman  sweeping 
my  pavement  with  a birch-broom  ; she  appeared  very  pale 
and  feeble,  as  just  come  out  of  a fit  of  sickness.  I asked 
who  employed  her  to  sweep  there  ; she  said,  “ Nobody ; but 
I am  poor  and  in  distress,  and  I sweeps  before  gentlefolkeses 
doors,  and  hopes  they  will  give  me  something.’^  I bid  her 
sweep  the  whole  street  clean,  and  I would  give  her  a 
shilling  ; this  was  at  nine  o’clock  ; and  at  noon  she  came  for 
the  shilling.  From  the  slowness  I saw  at  first  in  her  work- 
ing, I could  scarce  believa  that  the  work  was  done  so  soon^ 
and  sent  my  servant  to  examine  it,  who  reported  that  the 
whole  street  was  swept  perfectly  clean,  and  all  the  dull 


146 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


placed  in  the  gutter,  which  was  in  the  middle ; and  the  next 
rain  washed  it  quite  away,  so  that  the  pavement  and  even 
the  kennel  were  perfectly  clean. 

I then  judged,  that,  if  that  feeble  woman  could  sweep 
such  a street  in  three  hours,  a strong,  active  man  might  have 
done  it  in  half  the  time.  And  here  let  me  remark  the  con- 
venience of  having  but  one  gutter  in  such  a narrow  street, 
running  down  its  middle,  instead  of  two,  one  on  each  side 
near  the  footway.  For  where  all  the  rain  that  falls  on  a 
street  runs  from  the  sides  and  meets  in  the  middle,  it  forms 
there  a current  strong  enough  to  wash  away  all  the  mud  it 
meets  with  ; but  when  divided  into  two  channels,  it  is  often 
too  weak  to  cleanse  either,  and  only  makes  the  mud  it  finds 
more  fiuid ; so  that  the  wheels  of  carriages  and  feet  of 
horses  throw  and  dash  it  upon  the  foot  pavement,  which  is 
thereby  rendered  foul  and  slippery,  and  sometimes  splash  it 
upon  those  who  are  walking.  My  proposal,  communicated 
to  the  Doctor,  was  as  follows  : 

“ For  the  more  effectually  cleaning  and  keeping  clean  the 
streets  of  London  and  Westminster,  it  is  proposed,  that  the 
several  watchmen  h©  contracted  with  to  have  the  dust  swept 
up  in  dry  seasons,  and  the  mud  raked  up  at  other  times,  each 
in  the  several  streets  and  lanes  of  his  round ; that  they  be 
furnished  with  brooms  and  other  proper  instruments  for 
these  purposes,  to  be  kept  at  their  respective  stands,  ready 
to  furnish  the  poor  people  they  may  employ  in  the  service. 

That  in  the  dry  summer  months  the  dust  be  all  swept 
up  into  heaps  at  proper  distances,  before  the  shops  and  win- 
dows of  houses  are  usually  opened  ; when  scavengers,  with 
close  covered  carts,  shall  also  carry  it  all  away. 

‘ ‘ That  the  mud,  when  raked  up,  be  not  left  in  heaps  to 
be  spread  abroad  again  by  the  wheels  of  carriages  and 
trampling  of  horses ; but  that  the  scavengers  be  provided 
with  bodies  of  carts,  not  placed  high  upon  wheels,  but  low. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


147 


upon  sliders,  with  lattice  bottoms,  which,  being  covered 
with  straw,  will  retain  the  mud  thrown  into  them,  and  per- 
mit the  water  to  drain  from  it ; whereby  it  wiU  become 
much  lighter,  water  making  the  greatest  part  of  the  weight. 
These  bodies  of  carts  to  be  placed  at  convenient  distances, 
and  the  mud  brought  to  them  in  wheelbarrows : they  re- 
maining where  placed  till  the  mud  is  drained,  and  then 
horses  brought  to  draw  them  away.” 

I have  since  had  doubts  of  the  practicability  of  the  latter 
part  of  this  proposal,  in  all  places,  on  account  of  the  narrow- 
ness of  some  streets,  and  the  difficulty  of  placing  the  drain- 
ing-sleds so  as  not  to  encumber  too  much  the  passage ; but 
I am  still  of  opinion,  that  the  former,  requiring  the  dust  to 
be  swept  up  and  earned  away  before  the  shops  are  open,  is 
very  practicable  in  the  summer,  when  the  days  are  long ; 
for,  in  walking  through  the  Strand  and  Fleet  Street  one 
morning  at  seven  o’clock,  I observed  there  was  not  one  shop 
open,  though  it  had  been  daylight  and  the  sun  up  above 
three  hours  ; the  inhabitants  of  London  choosing  voluntarily 
to  live  much  by  candle-light,  and  sleep  by  sunshine  : and 
yet  often  complain,  a little  absurdly,  of  the  duty  on  candles 
and  the  high  price  of  tallow. 

Some  may  think  these  trifling  matters  not  worth  minding 
or  relating ; but,  when  they  consider,  that  though  dust 
blown  into  the  eyes  of  a single  person,  or  into  a single  shop 
in  a windy  day,  is  but  of  small  importance,  yet  the  great 
number  of  the  instances  in  a populous  city,  and  its  frequent 
repetition,  gives  it  weight  and  consequence,  perhaps  they 
will  not  censure  very  severely  those  who  bestow  some  at- 
tention to  affairs  of  this  seemingly  low  nature.  Human 
felicity  is  produced  not  so  much  by  great  pieces  of  good 
fortune  that  seldom  happen,  as  by  little  advantages  thaf 
occur  every  day.  Thus,  if  you  teach  a poor  young  mai 
to  ihaTe  himself,  and  keep  his  razor  in  order,  you  may 


148 


BENJA.MIN  FRANKLnr. 


contribute  more  to  the  happiness  of  his  life  than  in  giving  him 
a thousand  guineas.  This  sum  may  be  soon  spent,  the  regret 
only  remaining  of  having  foolishly  consumed  it ; but  in  the 
other  case,  he  escapes  the  frequent  vexation  of  waiting 
for  barbers,  and  of  their  sometimes  dirty  fingers,  offensive 
breaths,  and  dull  razors ; he  shaves  when  most  convenient 
to  him,  and  enjoys  daily  the  pleasure  of  its  being  done  with 
a good  instrument.  With  these  sentiments  I have  hazarded 
the  few  preceding  pages,  hoping  they  may  afford  hints, 
which  some  time  or  other  may  be  useful  to  a city  I love, 
having  lived  many  years  in  it  very  happily,  and  perhaps  to 
some  of  our  towns  in  America. 

Having  been  some  time  employed  by  the  postmaster- 
general  of  America,  as  his  comptroller  in  regulating  several, 
offices,  and  bringing  the  officers  to  account,  I was,  upon  his 
death,  in  1753,  appointed,  jointly  with  ]\Ir.  William  Hunter, 
to  succeed  him,  by  a commission  from  the  postmaster-general 
in  England.  The  American  office  had  hitherto  never  paid 
anything  to  that  of  Britain.  We  were  to  have  six  hundred 
pounds  a year  between  us,  if  we  could  make  that  sum  out  of 
the  profits  of  the  office.  To  do  this,  a variety  of  improve- 
ments were  necessary ; some  of  these  were  inevitably  at  first 
expensive  ; so  that  in  the  first  four  years  the  office  became 
above  nine  hundred  pounds  in  debt  to  us.  But  it  soon  after 
began  to  repay  us:  and  before  I was  displaced  by  a 

freak  of  the  ministers,  of  which  I shall  speak  hereafter, 
we  had  brought  it  to  yield  three  times  as  much  clear  revenue 
to  the  Crown  as  the  post-office  of  Ireland.  Since  that  im-. 
prudent  transaction,  they  have  received  from  it — not  one 
farthing ! 

The  business  of  the  post-office  occasioned  my  taking  a 
journey  this  year  to  New  England,  where  the  College  of 
Cambridge,  of  their  own  motion,  presented  me  with  the 
degree  of  Master  of  ArtSc  Yale  College  in  Connecticut  had 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


149 


beftMTO  made  me  a similar  compliment.  Thus,  withonl 
studying  in  any  College,  I came  to  partake  of  their  honours. 
They  were  conierred  in  consideration  of  my  improvements 
and  discoveries  in  the  electric  branch  of  natural  philosophy. 


CHAPTER  X. 

bf  1764,  war  with  France  being  again  apprehended,  a 
congress  of  commissioners  from  the  different  colonies  was  by 
an  order  of  the  Lords  of  Trade  to  be  assembled  at  Albany ; 
there  to  confer  with  the  chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations,  concern- 
ing the  means  of  defending  both  their  country  and  ours. 
Governor  Hamilton  having  received  this  order  acquainted 
the  House  with  it,  requesting  they  would  furnish  proper 
presents  for  the  Indians,  to  be  given  on  this  occasion ; and 
naming  the  Speaker  (Mr.  Norris)  and  myself  to  join  ]\Ir. 
John  Penn  and  Mr.  Secretary  Peters  as  commissioners  to 
act  for  Pennsylvania.  The  House  approved  the  nomination 
and  provided  the  goods  for  the  presents,  though  they  did 
not  much  like  treating  out  of  the  province ; and  we  met  the 
other  commissioners  at  Albany  about  the  middle  of  J une. 

In  our  way  thither,  I projected  and  drew  up  a plan  for 
the  union  of ^ all  the  colonies  under  one  government,  so  far 
as  might  be  necessary  for  defence,  and  other  important 
general  purposes.  As  we  passed  through  New  York,  I had 
there  shown  my  project  to  Mr.  James  Alexander  and  Mr. 
Kennedy,  two  gentlemen  of  great  knowledge  in  public 
affairs ; and,  being  fortified  by  their  approbation,  I ventured 
to  lay  it  before  the  congress.  It  then  appeared  that  several 
of  the  commissioners  had  formed  plans  of  the  same  kind.  A 
previous  question  was  first  taken,  whether  a union  should 
be  established,  which  passed  in  the  afOdmative  unanimously. 


150 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


A committee  was  then  appointed,  one  member  from  each 
colony,  to  consider  the  several  plans  and  report.  Mine 
happened  to  be  preferred ; and,  with  a few  amendments,  was 
accordingly  reported. 

By  this  plan  the  general  government  was  to  be  ad- 
ministered by  a President-general,  appointed  and  supported 
by  the  Crown ; and  a grand  council  was  to  be  chosen  by 
the  representatives  of  the  people  of  the  several  colonies,  met 
in  their  respective  assemblies.  The  debates  upon  it  in 
congress  went  on  daily,  hand  in  hand  with  the  Indian 
business.  Many  objections  and  difficulties  were  started ; 
but  at  length  they  were  all  overcome,  and  the  plan  was 
unanimously  agreed  to,  and  copies  ordered  to  be  trans- 
mitted to  the  Board  of  Trade  and  to  the  Assemblies  of  the 
several  provinces.  Its  fate  was  singular ; the  Assemblies 
did  not  adopt  it,  as  they  all  thought  there  was  too  much 
prerogative  in  it ; and  in  England  it  was  judged  to  have  too 
much  of  the  democratic.  The  Board  of  Trade  did  not 
approve  it,  nor  recommend  it  for  the  approbation  of  his 
Majesty;  but  another  scheme  was  formed,  supposed  to 
answer  the  same  purpose  better,  whereby  the  governors  of 
the  provinces,  with  some  members  of  their  respective 
councils,  were  to  meet  and  order  the  raising  of  troops, 
building  of  forts,  &c.,  and  to  draw  on  the  treasury  of 
Great  Britain  for  the  expense,  which  was  afterwards  to  be 
refunded  by  an  Act  of  Parliament,  laying  a tax  on  America. 
My  plan,  with  my  reasons  in  support  of  it,  is  to  be  found 
among  my  political  papers  that  were  printed. 

Being  the  winter  following  in  Boston,  I had  much  conver- 
sation with  Governor  Shirley  upon  both  the  plans.  Part  of 
what  passed  between  us  on  this  occasion  may  also  be  seen 
among  those  papers.  The  different  and  contrary  reasons  of 
dislike  to  my  plan  makes  me  suspect  that  it  was  really  the 
true  medium ; and  I am  still  of  opinion  it  would  have  beeoi 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


151 


happy  for  both  sides  if  it  had  been  adopted.  The  colonie* 
so  united  would  have  been  sufficiently  strong  to  have 
defended  themselves  ; there  would  then  have  been  no  need 
of  troops  from  England  : of  course  the  subsequent  pretext 
for  taxing  America,  and  the  bloody  contest  it  occasioned, 
would  have  been  avoided.  But  such  mistakes  are  not  new ; 
history  is  full  of  the  errors  of  states  and  princes. 

“ Look  round  the  habitable  world,  how  few 
Know  their  own  good,  or,  knowing  it,  pursue  I ** 

Those  who  govern,  having  much  business  on  their  hands, 
do  not  generally  like  to  take  the  trouble  of  considering  and 
carrying  into  execution  new  projects.  The  best  public 
measures  are  therefore  seldom  adopted  from  previous 
wisdom,  but  forced  by  the  occasion. 

The  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  in  sending  it  down  to  the 
Assembly,  expressed  his  approbation  of  the  plan,  “ as 
appearing  to  him  to  be  drawn  up  with  great  clearness  and 
itrength  of  judgment,  and  therefore  recommended  it  as 
well  worthy  of  their  closest  and  most  serious  attention.” 
The  House,  however,  by  the  management  of  a certain 
member,  took  it  up  when  I happened  to  be  absent,  which  I 
thought  not  very  fair,  and  reprobated  it  without  paying 
any  attention  to  it  at  all,  to  my  no  small  mortification. 

In  my  journey  to  Boston  this  year,  I met  at  New  York 
with  our  new  Governor,  Mr.  Morris,  just  arrived  there  from 
England,  with  whom  I had  been  before  intimately  ac- 
quainted. He  brought  a commission  to  supersede  IVIr. 
Hamilton,  who,  tired  with  the  disputes  his  proprietary 
instructions  subjected  him  to,  had  resigned.  Mr.  l^Iorria 
asked  me  if  I thought  he  must  expect  as  uncomfortable  an 
administration.  I said,  “ No ; you  may,  on  the  contrary, 
have  a very  comfortable  one,  if  you  will  only  take  care  not 
to  enter  into  any  dispute  with  Ajssembly.”  “ My  dear 


152 


BENJAMIN  franklin. 


friend,”  said  he  pleasantly,  ‘‘how  can  you  advise  my 
avoiding  disputes  P You  know  I love  disputing,  it  is  one  of 
my  greatest  pleasures;  however,  to  show  the  regard  I 
have  for  your  counsel,  I promise  you  I will,  if  possible, 
avoid  them.”  He  had  some  reason  for  loving  to  dispute : 
being  eloquent,  an  acute  sophister,  and  therefore  generally 
successful  in  argumentative  conversation.  He  had  been 
brought  up  to  it  from  a boy,  his  father,  as  I have  heard, 
accustoming  his  children  to  dispute  with  one  another  for 
his  diversion,  while  sitting  at  table  after  dinner ; but  I 
think  the  practice  was  not  wise,  for,  in  the  course  of  my 
observation,  those  disputing,  contradicting,  and  confuting 
people  are  generally  unfortunate  in  their  affairs.  They  get 
victory  sometimes,  but  they  never  get  goodwill,  which  would 
be  of  more  use  to  them.  We  parted ; he  going  to  Phila- 
delphia, and  I to  Boston. 

In  returning  I met  at  New  York  with  the  votes  of  the 
Assembly  of  Pennsylvania,  by  which  it  appeared  that,  not- 
withstanding his  promise  to  me,  he  and  the  House  wore 
already  in  high  contention ; and  it  was  a continual  battle 
between  them  as  long  as  he  retained  the  government.  I 
had  my  share  of  it ; for,  as  soon  as  I got  back  to  my  seat  in 
the  Assembly,  I was  put  on  every  committee  for  answering 
his  speeches  and  messages,  and  by  the  committees  always 
desired  to  make  the  drafts.  Our  answers,  as  well  as  his 
messages,  were  often  tart,  and  sometimes  indecently  abusive , 
and,  as  he  knew  I wrote  for  the  Assembly,  one  might  have 
imagined  that  when  we  met  we  could  hardly  avoid  cutting 
throats.  But  he  was  so  good-natured  a man,  that  no  personal 
difference  between  him  and  me  was  occasioned  by  the  con- 
test, and  we  often  dined  together. 

One  afternoon,  in  the  height  of  this  public  quarrel,  W8 
met  in  the  street.  “ Franklin,”  said  he,  “ you 
home  with  me  and  spend  the  evening ; I am  to  have  some 


BENJAMIN  PEANKLIN. 


m 

tfompany  that  you  will  like  ; and,  taking  me  by  the  arm, 
led  me  to  his  house.  In  gay  conversation  over  our  wine 
after  supper,  he  told  us  jokingly  that  he  much  admired  the 
idea  of  Sancho  Panza,  who,  when  it  was  proposed  to  g^ve 
him  a government,  requested  it  might  be  a government  of 
blacks ; as  then,  if  he  could  not  agree  with  his  people,  he 
might  sell  them.  One  of  his  friends,  who  sat  next  to  me, 
said,  “ Franklin,  why  do  you  continue  to  side  with  those 
damned  Quakers  ? Had  you  not  better  sell  them  ? The 
Proprietor  would  give  you  a good  price.”  ‘‘  The  Governor,” 
said  I,  ‘‘has  not  yet  blacked  them  enough.”  He  indeed 
had  laboured  hard  to  blacken  the  Assembly  in  all  his 
messages,  but  they  wiped  off  his  colouring  as  fast  as  he 
laid  it  on,  and  placed  it,  in  return,  thick  upon  his  own  face ; 
so  that  finding  he  was  likely  to  be  negrojied  himself,  he,  as 
well  as  Mr.  Hamilton,  grew  tired  of  the  contest,  and 
quitted  the  government. 

These  public  quarrels  were  all  at  bottom  owing  to  the 
Proprietaries,  our  hereditary  governors ; who,  when  any  ex- 
pense was  to  be  incurred  for  the  defence  of  their  province, 
with  incredible  meanness,  instructed  their  deputies  to  pass 
no  Act  for  levying  the  necessary  taxes  unless  their  vast 
estates  were  in  the  same  Act  expressly  exonerated ; and  they 
had  even  taken  the  bonds  of  these  deputies  to  observe  such 
instructions.  The  Assemblies  for  three  years  held  out 
against  this  injustice,  though  constrained  to  bend  at  last. 
At  length  Captain  Denny,  who  was  Governor  Morris's 
successor,  ventured  to  disobey  those  instructions ; how  that 
was  brought  about  I shall  show  hereafter. 

But  I am  got  forward  too  fast  with  my  story  ; there  aro 
etiU  some  transactions  to  be  mentioned  that  happened 
during  the  administration  of  Governor  Morris. 

War  being  in  a manner  commenced  with  France,  the 
government  of  Massachusetts  Bay  projected  an  attack  upoa 


154 


BENJAMIN  PBANKLIN. 


Crown  Point,  and  sent  Mr.  Quincy  to  Pennsylvania,  and 
Mr.  Pownall,  afterwards  Governor  Pownall,  to  New  York, 
to  solicit  assistance.  As  I was  in  the  Assembly,  knew  its 
temper,  and  was  Mr.  Quincy’s  countryman,  he  applied  to 
me  for  my  influence  and  assistance.  I dictated  his  address 
to  them,  which  was  well  received.  They  voted  an  aid  of 
ten  thousand  pounds,  to  he  laid  out  in  provisions.  But 
the  Governor  refusing  his  assent  to  their  hill  (which  in* 
eluded  this  with  other  sums  granted  for  the  use  of  the 
Crown),  unless  a clause  were  inserted  exempting  the  pro- 
prietary estate  from  hearing  any  part  of  the  tax  that  would 
he  necessary;  the  Assembly,  though  very  desirous  of 
making  their  grant  to  New  England  effectual,  were  at  a loss 
how  to  accomplish  it.  Mr.  Quincy  laboured  hard  with  the 
Governor  to  obtain  his  assent,  but  he  was  obstinate. 

I then  suggested  a method  of  doing  the  business  without 
the  Governor,  by  orders  on  the  trustees  of  the  Loan  Office, 
which  by  law  the  Assembly  had  the  right  of  drawing. 
There  was  indeed  little  or  no  money  at  the  time  in  the 
office,  and,  therefore,  I proposed  that  the  orders  should  be 
payable  in  a year,  and  to  bear  an  interest  of  five  per  cent. 
With  these  orders  I supposed  the  provisions  might  easily 
be  purchased.  The  Assembly,  with  very  little  hesitation, 
adopted  the  proposal.  The  orders  were  immediately 
printed,  and  I was  one  of  the  committee  directed  to  sign 
and  dispose  of  them.  The  fund  for  paying  them  was  the 
interest  of  all  the  paper  currency  then  extant  in  the  pro- 
vince upon  loan,  together  with  the  revenue  arising  from 
the  excise,  which  being  known  to  be  more  than  sufficient, 
they  obtained  credit,  and  were  not  only  taken  in  payment 
for  the  provisions,  but  ma*iy  moneyed  people,  who  had 
cash  lying  by  them,  vested  it  in  those  orders,  which  they 
found  advantageous,  as  they  bore  interest  while  upon  hand^ 
and  might  on  any  occasion  be  used  as  money ; so  that  they 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


155 


were  eagerly  all  bought  up,  and  in  a few  weeks  none  of 
them  was  to  he  seen.  Thus  this  important  affair  was  by  my 
means  completed.  Mr.  Quincy  returned  thanks  to  the 
Assembly  in  a handsome  memorial,  went  home  highly 
pleased  with  the  success  of  his  embassy,  and  ever  after  bore 
for  me  the  most  cordial  and  affectionate  friendship. 

The  British  government,  not  choosing  to  permit  the 
union  of  the  colonies  as  proposed  at  Albany,  and  to  trust 
that  union  with  their  defence,  lest  they  should  thereby 
grow  too  military,  and  feel  their  own  strength,  suspicion 
and  jealousies  at  this  time  being  entertained  of  them,  sent 
over  General  Braddock,  with  two  regiments  of  regular  Eng- 
lish troops  for  that  purpose.  He  landed  at  Alexandria  in 
Virginia,  and  thence  marched  to  Fredrictown  in  Maryland, 
where  he  halted  for  carriages.  Our  Assembly  apprehending 
from  some  information,  that  he  had  conceived  violent  pre- 
judices against  them,  as  averse  to  the  service,  wished  me  to 
wait  upon  him,  not  as  from  them,  but  as  postmaster-general, 
under  the  guise  of  proposing  to  settle  with  him  the  mode  of 
conducting  with  most  celerity  and  certainty  the  despatches 
between  him  and  the  governors  of  the  several  provinces, 
with  whom  he  must  necessarily  have  continual  corres- 
pondence, and  of  which  they  proposed  to  pay  the  expense. 
My  son  accompanied  me  on  this  journey. 

We  found  the  General  at  Frederictown,  waiting  impa- 
tiently for  the  return  of  those  he  had  sent  through  the  back 
parts  of  Maryland  and  Virginia  to  collect  wagons.  I 
stayed  with  him  several  days,  dined  with  him  daily,  and 
had  full  opportunities  of  removing  his  prejudices,  by  the 
information  of  what  the  Assembly  had  before  his  arrival 
actually  done,  and  were  still  willing  to  do,  to  facilitate  his 
operations.  When  I was  about  to  depart,  the  returns  of 
wagons  to  be  obtained  were  brought  in,  by  which  it  ap- 
pecured  that  they  amounted  only  to  twenty-five,  and  not  all 


156 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


of  those  were  in  serviceable  condition.  The  General  and  aH 
the  officers  were  surprised,  declared  the  expedition  was  then 
at  an  end,  being  impossible,  and  exclaimed  against  the 
ministers  for  ignorantly  sending  them  into  a country  de- 
stitute of  the  means  of  conveying  their  stores,  baggage,  Ac., 
not  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  wagons  being  neces- 
sary. 

I happened  to  say,  I thought  it  was  a pity  they  had  not 
been  landed  in  Pennsylvania,  as  in  that  country  almost 
every  farmer  had  his  wagon.  The  General  eagerly  laid 
hold  of  my  words,  and  said,  “ Then  you.  Sir,  who  are  a man 
of  interest  there,  can  probably  procure  them  for  us,  and  I 
beg  you  will  undertake  it.”  I asked  what  terms  were  to  be 
offered  the  owners  of  the  wagons,  and  I was  desired  to  put 
on  paper  the  terms  that  appeared  to  me  necessary.  This  I 
did,  and  they  were  agreed  to,  and  a commision  and  instruc- 
tions accordingly  prepared  immediately.  What  those  terms 
were  will  appear  in  the  advertisement  I published  as  soon  as 
.1  arrived  at  Lancaster,  which  being,  from  the  great  and 
sudden  effect  it  produced,  a piece  of  some  curiosity,  I shall 
insert  it  at  length  as  follows: — 

“ Advertisement. 

“ Lancaster,  April  26th,  1755. 

**  Whereas,  one  hundred  and  fifty  wagons,  with  four  horses  to  each 
wagon,  and  fifteen  hundred  saddle  or  pack-horses,  are  wanted  for 
the  service  of  his  Majesty’s  forces,  now  about  to  rendezvous  at 
Will’s  Creek ; and  his  Excellency  General  Braddock  having  been 
^ pleased  to  empower  me  to  contract  for  the  hire  of  the  same,  I 
hereby  give  notice,  that  I shall  attend  for  that  purpose,  at  Lancaster, 
from  this  day  to  next  Wednesday  evening  ; and  at  York,  from  next 
Thursday  morning  till  Friday  evening  ; where  I shall  be  ready  to 
agree  for  wagons  and  teams,  or  single  horses,  on  the  following 
terms  j viz.  1.  That  there  shall  he  paid  for  each  wagon,  with  four 
good  horses  and  a driver,  fifteen  shillings  per  diem  ;.and  for  each 
able  horse  with  a pack-saddle,  or  other  saddle  and  furniture,  two 
tiiillings  per  diem;  and  for  each  able  horse  without  a saddle. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


157 


«^bteen  pence  per  diem.  2.  That  the  pay  commence  from  the  time 
of  their  joining  the  forces,  at  Will’s  Creek,  which  must  be  on  ox 
before  the  20th  of  May  ensuing,  and  that  a reasonable  allowance 
be  paid  oyer  and  above,  for  the  time  necessary  for  their  travelling 
to  Will’s  Creek,  and  home  again  after  their  discharge.  3.  Each 
wagon  and  team,  and  every  saddle  or  pack-horse  is  to  be  valued  by 
Indifferent  persons,  chosen  between  me  and  the  owner  j and,  in  case 
of  the  loss  of  any  wagon,  team,  or  other  horse  in  the  service,  the 
price  according  to  such  valuation  is  to  be  allowed  and  paid.  A 
Seven  days’  pay  is  to  be  advanced  and  paidin  hand  by  me  to  the  own«r 
of  each  wagon  and  team,  or  horse,  at  the  time  of  contracting,  if  re- 
quired ; and  the  remainder  to  be  paid]  by  General  Braddock,  or  by 
the  paymaster  of  the  army,  at  the  time  of  their  discharge ; or  from 
time  to  time,  as  it  shall  be  demanded.  5.  No  drivers  or  wagons,  or 
persons  taking  care  of  the  hired  horses,  are  on  any  [account  to  bo 
called  upon  to  do  the  duty  of  soldiers,  or  be  otherwise  employed 
than  in  conducting  or  taking  care  of  their  carriages  or  horses.  6, 
All  oats,  Indian  corn,  or  other  forage,  that  wagons  or  horses  bring 
to  the  camp,  more  than  is  necessary  for  the  subsistence  of  the 
horses,  is  to  be  taken  for  the  use  of  the  army,  and  a reasonable 
price  paid  for  the  same, 

**  Note. — My  son,  William  Franklin,  is  empowered  to  enter  inte 
Bke  contracts  with  any  person  in  Cumberland  County. 

“ B.  FaoHKLiBr.* 

•*  To  the  Inhabitants  oj  the  Counties  of  Lancaster,  York,  and 
Cumberland. 

**  Friends  and  Countrymen, 

•*  Being  occasionally  at  the  camp  at  Frederic  a few  days  since,  I 
found  the  General  and  officers  extremely  exasperated  on  account  of 
their  not  being  supplied  with  horses  and  carriages,  which  had  been 
expected  from  this  province,  as  most  able  to  furnish  them  ; but, 
through  the  dissensions  between  our  Governor  and  Assembly,  money 
had  not  been  provided,  nor  any  steps  taken  for  that  purpose. 

“It  was  proposed  to  send  an  armed  force  immediately  into  these 
counties,  to  seize  as  many  of  the  best  carriages  and  horses  as  should 
be  wanted,  and  compel  as  many  persons  into  the  service  as  would 
b©  necessary  to  drive  and  take  care  of  them. 

••  I apprehended  that  the  progress  of  British  soldiers  through 
these  counties  on  such  an  occasion,  esi>ecially  considering  tlie 
temper  they  are  in,  and  their  resentment  against  us,  would  be 
attended  with  many  end  great  inoonvenienoes  to  the  iahabitante. 


158 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


Mid  therefore  more  willingly  tock  the  trouble  of  trying  first  whal 
might  be  done  by  fair  and  equitable  means.  The  people  of  these 
back  counties  have  lately  complained  to  the  Assembly,  that  a 
sufficient  currency  was  wanting ; you  have  an  opportunity  of  re- 
ceiving and  dividing  among  you  a very  considerable  sum  j for,  if  the 
serv^ice  of  this  expedition  should  continue,  as  it  is  more  than 
brobable  it  will,  for  one  hundred  and  twenty  days,  the  hire  of 
these  wagons  and  horses;will  amount  to  upwards  of  thirty  thousand 
pounds ; which  will  be  paid  you  in  silver  and  gold  of  the  King’s 
money. 

“ The  service  will  bo  light  and  easy,  for  the  army  will  scarce 
march  above  twelve  miles  per'  day,  and  the  wagons  and  baggage 
horses,  as  they  carry  those  things  that  are  absolutely  necessary  to 
the  welfare  of  the  army,  must  march  with  the  army,  and  no  faster ; 
and  are,  for  the  army’s  sake,  always  placed  where  they  can  be  most 
secure,  whether  in  a march  or  in  a camp. 

“ If  you  are  really,  as  I believe  you  are,  good  and  loyal  subjects 
to  his  Majesty,  you  may  now  do  a most  acceptable  service,  and 
make  it  easy  to  yourselves ; for  three  or  four  of  such  as  cannot 
separately  spare  from  the  business  of  their  plantations,  a wagon 
and  four  horses  and  a driver,  may  do  it  together  ; one  furnishing 
the  wagon,  another  one  or  two  horses,  and  another  the  driver, 
and  divide  the  pay  proportionably  between  you.  But,  if  you  do 
not  this  service  to  your  King  and  country  voluntarily,  when  such 
good  pay  and  reasonable  terms  are  offered  to  you,  your  loyalty  will 
be  strongly  suspected.  The  King’s  business  must  be  done;  so 
many  brave  troops,  come  so  far  for  your  defence,  must  not 
stand  idle  through  your  backwardness  to  do  what  may  be  reason- 
ably expected  from  you ; wagons  and  horses  must  be  had ; violent 
measures  will  probably  be  used ; and  you  will  be  left  to  seek  for  a 
recompence  where  you  can  find  it,  and  your  case  perhaps  be  little 
pitied  or  regarded. 

“I  have  no  particular  interest  in  this  affair,  as,  except  the 
satisfaction  of  endeavouring  to  do  good,  I shall  have  only  my 
labour  for  my  pains.  If  this  method  of  obtaining  the  wagons  and 
horses  is  not  likely  to  succeed,  I am  obliged  to  send  word  to  the 
General  in  fourteen  days  ; and  I suppose  Sir  John  St.  Clair,  the 
hussar,  with  a body  of  soldiers,  will  immediately  e"»ter  the  pro- 
vince for  the  purpose ; which  I shall  be  sorry  to  hear,  because  I am 
very  sincerely  and  truly  your  friend  and  well-wisher. 


••  B.  FKiMruni.'* 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN, 


159 


I received  of  the  General  about  eight  hundred  pounds,  to 
be  disbursed  in  advance  money  to  the  wagon  owners  ; but, 
that  sum  being  insufficient,  I advanced  upwards  of  two 
hundred  pounds  more;  and  in  two  weeks,  the  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  wagons,  with  two  hundred  and  fifty-nine 
carrying  horses,  were  on  their  march  for  the  camp.  The 
advertisement  promised  payment  according  to  the  valua- 
ation  in  case  any  wagons  or  horses  should  be  lost.  The 
owners,  however,  alleging  they  did  not  know  General 
Braddock,  or  what  dependence  might  be  had  on  his  pro- 
mise, insisted  on  my  bond  for  the  performance ; which  I 
accordingly  gave  them. 

While  I was  at  the  camp,  supping  one  evening  with  the 
officers  of  Colonel  Dunbar’s  regiment,  he  represented  to 
me  his  concern  for  the  subalterns,  who,  he  said,  were 
generally  not  in  affluence,  and  could  ill  afford  in  this  dear 
coimtry  to  lay  in  the  stores  that  might  be  necessary  in  so 
long  a march,  through  a wilderness  where  nothing  was  to 
be  purchased.  I commiserated  their  case,  and  resolved  to 
endeavour  procuring  them  some  relief.  I said  nothing, 
however,  to  him  of  my  intention,  but  wrote  the  next 
morning  to  the  Committee  of  the  Assembly,  who  had  the 
disposition  of  some  public  money,  warmly  recommending 
the  case  of  these  officers  to  their  consideration,  and  pro- 
posing that  a present  should  be  sent  them  of  necessaries 
and  refreshments.  My  son,  who  had  some  experience  of 
a camp  life,  and  of  its  wants,  drew  up  a list  for  me,  which 
I enclosed  in  my  letter.  The  committee  approved,  and 
us()d  such  diligence,  that,  conducted  by  my  son,  the  stores 
arrived  at  the  camp  as  soon  as  the  wagons.  They  consisted 
of  twenty  parcels,  each  containing 

61bs.  lo&f  sugar.  X keg  oontadning  201bs.  good 

9 do.  Muscovado  do.  batter. 

1 do.  green  teo.  t dos^  old  Madeira  wise. 


160 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


1 do.  bohea  do.  tea. 

• do.  ground  coffee. 

$ do.  chocolate, 
i chest  best  white  bisoniti 
ilb.  pepper. 

1 quart  white  vinegar. 


2 gallons  Jamaica  spirite. 

1 bottle  flour  of  mustaid. 

2 wellcured  hams. 

I dozen  dried  tongues. 
61bs.  rice 
61bs.  raisins. 


1 Gloucester  cheese. 


These  parcels,  well  packed,  were  placed  on  as  many 
horses,  each  parcel,  with  the  horse,  being  intended  as  a 
present  for  one  officer.  They  were  very  thankfully  received, 
and  the  kindness  acknowledged  by  letters  to  me,  from  the 
colonels  of  both  regiments,  in  the  most  grateful  terms. 
The  General,  too,  was  highly  satisfied  with  my  conduct  in 
procuring  him  the  wagons,  and  readily  paid  my  account  of 
disbursements : thanking  me  repeatedly,  and  requesting 
my  further  assistance  in  sending  provisions  after  him.  I 
undertook  this  also,  and  was  busily  employed  in  it  till  we 
heard  of  his  defeat ; advancing  for  the  service,  of  my  own 
money,  upwards  of  one  thousand  pounds  sterling ; of  which 
I sent  him  an  account.  It  came  to  his  hands,  luckily  for 
me,  a few  days  before  the  battle,  and  he  returned  me  im- 
mediately an  order  on  the  paymaster  for  the  round  sum 
of  one  thousand  pounds,  leaving  the  remainder  to  the 
next  account.  I consider  this  payment  as  good  luck, 
having  never  been  able  to  obtain  the  remainder ; of  which 
more  hereafter. 

This  General  was,  I think,  a brave  man,  and  might  pro- 
bably have  made  a figure  as  a good  officer  in  some  European 
war.  But  he  had  too  m’Cioh  self-confidence,  too  high  an 
opinion  of  the  validity  of  regular  troops,  and  too  mean  a 
one  of  both  Americans  and  Indians.  George  Croghan, 
our  Indian  interpreter,  joined  him  on  his  march  with  one 
hundred  of  those  people,  who  might  have  been  of  great 
GS8  to  his  army  as  guides  and  soouts,  if  he  had  treated  them 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


161 


kindly ; but  he  slighted  and  neglected  them,  and  they  grad- 
ually left  him. 

In  Ci  versation  with  him  one  day,  he  was  giving  me 
some  account  of  his  intended  progress.  “ After  taking 
Fort  Duquesne,”  said  he,  “ I am  to  proceed  to  Niagara ; 
and,  having  taken  that,  to  Frontenac,  if  the  season  will 
allow  time,  and  I suppose  it  will ; for  Duquesne  can  hardly 
detain  me  above  three  or  four  days,  and  then  I see  nothing 
that  can  obstruct  my  march  to  Niagara.’’  Having  before 
revolved  in  my  mind  the  long  line  his  army  must  make  in 
their  march  by  a very  narrow  road,  to  be  cut  for  them 
through  the  woods  and  bushes,  and  also  what  I had  read  of 
a former  defeat  of  fifteen  hundred  French,  who  invaded  the 
Illinois  country,  I had  conceived  some  doubts  and  some 
fears  for  the  event  of  the  campaign.  But  I ventured  only 
to  say,  “ To  be  sure,  Sir,  if  you  arrive  well  before  Duquesne, 
with  these  fine  troops,  so  well  provided  with  artillery,  the 
fort,  though  completely  fortified,  and  assisted  with  a very 
strong  garrison,  can  probably  make  but  a short  resistance. 
The  only  danger  I apprehend  of  obstruction  to  your  march, 
is  from  the  ambuscades  of  the  Indians,  who,  by  constant 
practice,  are  dexterous  in  laying  and  executing  them ; and 
the  slender  line,  near  four  miles  long,  which  your  army 
must  make,  may  expose  it  to  be  attacked  by  surprise  in  its 
flanks,  and  to  be  cut  like  a thread  into  several  pieces, 
which,  from  their  distance  cannot  come  up  in  time  to  support 
each  other.” 

He  smiled  at  my  ignorance,  and  replied,  “ These  savages 
may  indeed  be  a formidable  enemy  to  your  raw  American 
militia,  but  upon  the  King’s  regular  and  disciplined  troops, 
Sir,  it  is  impossible  they  should  make  any  impression.”  I 
was  conscious  of  an  impropriety  in  my  disputing  with  a 
military  man  in  matters  of  his  profession,  and  said  no  more. 
The  enemy,  however,  did  not  take  the  advantage  of  hk 
W 


162 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


anny,  which  1 apprehended  its  long  line  of  march  exposed 
it  to,  but  let  it  advance  without  interruption  till  vrithin 
miles  of  the  place  ^ and  then,  when  more  in  a body  (for 
it  had  just  passed  a river,  where  the  front  had  halted' till 
all  were  come  over,)  and  in  a more  open  part  of  the  woods 
than  any  it  had  p issed,  attacked  its  advanced  guard  by  a 
heavy  fire  from  behind  trees  and  bushes ; which  was  the 
first  intelligence  the  General  had  of  an  enemy’s  being  near 
him.  This  guard  being  disordered,  the  General  hurried  the 
troops  up  to  their  assistance,  which  was  done  in  great 
confusion  through  wagons,  baggage,  and  cattle,  and  pre- 
sently  the  fire  came  upon  their  flank.  The  officers  being 
on  horseback  were  more  easily  distinguished,  picked  out 
as  marks,  and  fell  very  fast ; and  the  soldiers  were  crowded 
together  in  a huddle,  having  or  hearing  no  orders,  and 
standing  to  be  shot  at  till  two-thirds  of  them  were  killed, 
and  then,  being  seized  with  a panic,  the  remainer  fled  with 
precipitation. 

The  wagoners  took  each  a horse  out  of  his  team  and 
scampered.  Their  example  was  immediatly  followed  by 
others,  so  that  all  the  wagons,  provisions,  artillery,  and 
stores,  were  left  to  the  enemy.  The  General  being 
wounded,  was  brought  off  with  difficulty;  his  secretary, 
Mr.  Shirley,  was  killed  by  his  side,  and  out  of  eighty-six 
officers,  sixty-three  were  Med  or  wounded,  and  seven  hun- 
dred  and  fourteen  men  killed  of  eleven  hundred.  These 
eleven  hundred  had  been  picked  men  from  the  whole  army  ; 
the  rest  had  been  left  behind  with  Colonel  Dunbar,  who 
was  to  follow  with  the  heavier  part  of  the  stores,  provisions, 
and  baggage.  The  flyers,  not  being  pursued,  arrived  at 
Dunbar’s  camp,  and  the  panic  they  brought  with  them 
instantly  seized  him  and  all  his  people.  And,  though  he 
had  now  above  one  thousand  men,  and  the  enemy  who  had 
beaten  Braddock  did  not  at  most  exceed  four  hundred 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


163 


Indians  and  French  together,  instead  of  proceeding,  and 
endeavouring  to  recover  some  of  the  lost  honour,  he  ordered 
all  the  stores,  ammunition,  &c.,  to  be  destroyed,  that  he 
might  have  more  horses  to  assist  his  flight  towards  the 
settlements,  and  less  lumber  to  remove.  He  was  there  met 
with  requests  from  the  governors  of  Virginia,  Maryland, 
and  Pennsylvania,  that  he  would  post  his  troops  on  the 
frontiers,  so  as  to  afford  some  protection  to  the  inhabitants, 
but  he  continued  his  hasty  march  through  aU  the  country, 
not  thinking  himself  safe  thl  he  arrived  at  Philadelphia, 
where  the  inhabitants  could  protect  him.  This  whole 
transaction  gave  us  Americans  the  flrst  suspicion,  that  our 
exalted  ideas  of  the  prowess  of  British  regular  troops  had 
not  been  well  founded. 

In  their  first  march,  too,  from  their  landing  till  they  got 
beyond  the  settlements,  they  had  plundered  and  stripped  the 
inhabitants,  totally  ruining  some  poor  families,  besides  in- 
sulting, abusing,  and  confining  the  people,  if  they  remon- 
strated. This  was  enough  to  put  us  out  of  conceit  of  such 
defenders,  if  we  had  really  wanted  any.  How  different  was 
the  conduct  of  our  French  friends  in  1781,  who,  during  a 
march  through  the  most  inhabited  part  of  our  country,  from 
Rhode  Island  to  Virginia,  near  seven  hundred  miles,  occa- 
sioned not  the  smallest  complaint  for  the  loss  of  a pig,  a 
chicken,  or  even  an  apple. 

Captain  Orme,  who  was  one  of  the  General’s  aides-de- 
camp,  and,  being  grievously  wounded,  was  brought  off 
with  him,  and  continued  with  him  to  his  death,  which 
happened  in  a few  days,  told  me,  that  he  was  totally 
silent  all  the  first  day,  and  at  night  only  said,  ‘‘Who 
would  have  thought  it?”  That  he  was  silent  again  the 
following  day,  saying  only  at  last,  “We  shall  better  know 
how  to  deal  with  them  another  time,”  and  died  in  a few 
minutes  after. 


164 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


The  secretary’s  papers,  with  all  the  General’s  orders,  In- 
structions, and  correspondence,  falling  into  the  enemy’s 
hands,  they  selected  and  translated  into  French  a number  of 
the  articles,  which  they  printed,  to  prove  the  hostile  inten- 
tions of  the  British  court  before  the  declaration  of  war. 
Among  these  I saw  some  letters  of  the  General  to  the 
ministry,  speaking  highly  of  the  great  service  I had  ren- 
dered the  army,  and  recommending  me  to  their  notice. 
David  Hume,  who  was  some  years  afterwards  secretary  to 
Lord  Hertford,  when  minister  in  France,  and  afterwards 
to  General  Conway,  when  Secretary  of  State,  told  me  he 
had  seen  among  the  papers  in  that  office,  letters  from  Brad- 
dock,  highly  recommending  me.  But  the  expedition  having 
been  unfortunate,  my  service,  it  seems,  was  not  thought  of 
much  value,  for  those  recommendations  were  never  of  any 
use  to  me. 

As  to  rewards  from  himself,  I asked  only  one,  which  was, 
that  he  would  give  orders  to  his  officers  not  to  enlist  any 
more  of  our  bought  servants,  and  that  he  would  discharge 
•uch  as  had  been  already  enlisted.  This  he  readily  granted, 
and  several  were  accordingly  returned  to  their  masters,  on 
my  application.  Dunbar,  when  the  command  devolved 
on  him,  was  not  so  generous.  He  being  at  Philadelphia, 
on  his  retreat,  or  rather  flight,  I applied  to  hiTn  for  the  dis- 
charge of  the  servants  of  three  poor  farmers  of  Lancaster 
County,  that  he  had  enlisted,  reminding  him  of  the  late 
General’s  orders  on  that  head.  He  promised  me  that  if 
the  masters  would  come  to  him  at  Trenton,  where  he  should 
be  in  a few  days  on  his  march  to  New  York,  he  would  there 
deliver  their  men  to  them.  They  accordingly  were  at  the 
expense  and  trouble  of  going  to  Trenton,  and  there  he  re- 
fused to  perform  his  promise,  to  their  great  loss  and  dis- 
appointment. 

As  soon  as  the  loss  of  the  wagons  and  horses  was 


BENJAMIN  franklin. 


165 


genemlly  known,  all  the  owners  came  upon  me  for  the 
valuation  which  I had  given  bond  to  pay.  Their  demands 
ga’ve  me  a great  deal  of  trouble.  I acquainted  them  that 
the  money  was  ready  in  the  paymaster’s  hands,  but  the 
order  for  paying  it  must  first  be  obtained  from  General 
Shirley,  and  that  I had  applied  for  it,  but  he  being  at 
a distance,  an  answer  could  not  soon  be  received,  and  they 
must  have  patience.  All  this,  however,  was  not  suf- 
ficient to  satisfy  them,  and  some  began  to  sue  me.  General 
Shirley  at  length  relieved  me  from  this  terrible  situation,  by 
appointing  commissioners  to  examine  the  claims,  and  ordering 
payment.  They  amounted  to  near  twenty  thousand  pounds, 
which  to  pay  would  have  ruined  me. 

Before  we  had  the  news  of  this  defeat,  the  two  Doctors 
Bond  came  to  me  with  a subscription  paper  for  raising 
money  to  defray  the  expense  of  a grand  firework,  which  it 
was  intended  to  exhibit  at  a rejoicing  on  receiving  the  news 
of  our  taking  Fort  Duquesne.  I looked  grave,  and  said  it 
would,  I thought,  be  time  enough  to  prepare  the  rejoicing 
when  we  knew  we  should  have  occasion  to  rejoice.  They 
seemed  surprised  that  I did  not  immediately  comply  with 
their  proposal.  “ Why  the  d — 1 ! ” said  one  of  them,  ‘‘  you 
surely  don’t  suppose  that  the  fort  will  not  be  taken? ” “ I 

don’t  know  that  it  will  not  be  taken,  but  I know  that  the 
events  of  war  are  subject  to  great  uncertainty.”  I gave 
them  the  reasons  of  my  doubting;  the  subscription  w?ra 
dropped,  and  the  projectors  thereby  missed  the  mortifica- 
tion they  would  have  undergone  if  the  firework  had  been 
prepared.  Dr.  Bond,  on  some  other  occasion  afterwards, 
■aid  that  he  did  not  like  FrankUn’s  foreboding!. 


166 


BENJAMIN  FBANKLUf. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Gotbbnob  Morris,  who  had  continually  worried  the 
Aisemhly  with  message  after  message  before  the  defeat  of 
Braddock,  to  heat  them  into  the  making  of  Acts  to  raise 
money  for  the  defence  of  the  province,  without  taxing 
among  others  the  proprietary  estates,  and  had  rejected  aS 
their  Bills  for  not  having  such  an  exempting  clause,  now 
redoubled  his  attacks  with  more  hope  of  success,  the  danger 
and  necessity  being  greater.  The  Assembly,  however,  con- 
tinued firm,  believing  Jbhey  had  justice  on  their  side,  and 
that  it  would  be  giving  up  an  essential  right  if  they  suffered 
the  Governor  to  amend  their  money  bills.  In  one  of  the 
last,  indeed,  which  was  for  granting  fifty  thousand  pounds, 
his  proposed  amendment  was  only  of  a single  word.  The 
Bill  expressed,  “ that  all  estates  real  and  personal  were  to 
be  taxed ; those  of  the  Proprietaries  not  excepted.”  His 
amendment  was : for  not^  read  only,  A small,  but  very 
material  alteration.  However,  when  the  news  of  the 
disaster  reached  England,  our  friends  there,  whom  we  had 
taken  care  to  furnish  with  all  the  Assembly’s  answers  to  the 
Governor’s  messages,  raised  a clamour  against  the  Proprie- 
taries for  their  meanness  and  injustice  in  giving  their 
Governor  such  instructions  ; some  going  so  far  as  to  say, 
that  by  obstructing  the  defence  of  their  province,  they  for- 
feited their  right  to  it.  They  were  intimidated  by  this,  and 
■ent  orders  to  their  Receiver- General  to  add  five  thousand 
pounds  of  their  money  to  whatever  sum  might  be  given  by 
the  Assembly  fer  such  purpose. 

This,  being  testified  to  the  House,  was  accepted  in  lieu  of 
their  share  of  a general  tax ; and  a new  Bill  was  formed 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


167 


with  an  exempting  clause,  which  passed  accordingly.  By 
this  Act  I was  appointed  one  of  the  commissioners  for  dis- 
posing of  the  money — sixty  thousand  pounds.  I had  been 
active  in  modelling  the  Bill  and  procuring  its  passage,  and 
had  at  the  same  time  drawn  one  for  establishing  and  dis- 
ciplining  a voluntary  militia,  which  I carried  through  the 
House  without  much  difficulty,  as  care  was  taken  in  it  to 
leave  the  Quakers  at  liberty.  To  promote  the  association 
necessary  to  form  the  militia,  I wrote  a Dialogue  stating 
and  answering  all  the  objections  I could  think  of  to  such  a 
militia,  which  was  printed,  and  had,  as  I thought,  great 
effect. 

While  the  several  companies  in  the  city  and  country  were 
forming,  and  learning  their  exercise,  the  Governor  prevailed 
with  me  to  take  charge  of  our  north-western  frontier,  which 
was  infested  by  the  enemy,  and  pro#ie  for  the  defence  of 
the  inhabitants  by  raising  troops  and  building  a line  of  forts. 
I undertook  this  military  business,  though  I did  not  con- 
ceive  myself  well  qualified  for  it.  He  gave  me  a commis- 
sion with  fuU  powers,  and  a parcel  of  blank  commissions 
for  officers,  to  be  given  to  whom  I thought  fit.  I had  but 
little  difficulty  in  raising  men,  having  soon  five  hundred 
and  sixty  under  my  command.  My  son,  who  had  in  the 
preceding  war  been  an  officer  in  the  army  raised  against 
Canada,  was  my  aide-de-camp,  and  of  great  use  to  me.  The 
Indians  had  burned  Gnadenhutten,  a village  settled  by  the 
Moravians,  and  massacred  the  inhabitants ; but  the  place 
was  thought  a good  situation  for  one  of  the  forts. 

In  order  to  march  thither,  I assembled  the  companies  at 
Bethlehem,  the  chief  establishment  of  these  people.  I was  sur- 
prised to  find  it  in  so  good  a posture  of  defence ; the  destruc- 
tion of  Gnadenhutten  had  made  them  apprehend  danger. 
The  principal  buildings  were  defended  by  a stockade ; 
they  had  purchased  a quantity  of  arms  and  ammuniticm 


168 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIH.  * 


from  New  York,  and  had  even  placed  quantitiee  of 
•mall  paving  stones  between  the  windows  of  their  high 
stone  houses,  for  their  women  to  throw  them  down  upon 
the  heads  of  any  Indians  that  should  attempt  to  force  into 
them.  The  armed  brethren,  too,  kept  watch  and  relieved 
each  other  on  guard,  as  methodically  as  in  any  garrison 
town.  In  conversation  with  the  Bishop,  Spangenberg,  I 
mentioned  my  surprise  ; for,  knowing  they  had  obtained  an 
Act  lyf  Parliament  exempting  them  from  military  duties  in 
the  colonies,  I had  supposed  they  were  conscientiously 
scrupulous  of  bearing  arms.  He  answered  me,  that  it  wa« 
not  one  of  their  established  principles ; but  that,  at  the  tims 
of  their  obtaining  that  Act,  it  was  thought  to  be  a principk 
with  many  of  their  people.  On  this  occasion,  however, 
they,  to  their  surpri^  found  it  adopted  by  but  a few.  It 
seems  they  were  eithw  deceived  in  themselves,  or  deceived 
the  Parliament;  but  common  sense,  aided  by  present 
danger,  will  sometimes  be  too  strong  for  whimsical 
opinions. 

It  was  the  beginning  of  January  when  we  set  out  upon 
this  business  of  building  forts.  I sent  one  detachment  to- 
wards the  Minisink,  with  instuctions  to  erect  one  for  the 
security  of  that  upper  part  of  the  country ; and  another  to 
the  lower  part,  with  similar  instructions ; and  I concluded 
to  go  myself  with  the  rest  of  my  force  to  Gnadenhutten, 
where  a fort  was  thought  more  immediately  necessary.  The « 
Moravians  procured  me  five  wagons  for  our  tools,  stores,  and 
baggage. 

Just  before  we  had  left  Bethlehem,  eleven  farmers,  who 
had  been  driven  from  their  plantations  by  the  Tndmnn^ 
came  to  me  requesting  a supply  of  fire-arms,  that  they  might 
go  back  and  bring  off  their  cattle.  I gave  them  each  a gun 
with  suitable  ammunition.  We  had  not  marched  many 
Miles,  before  it  began  to  rain,  and  it  continued  raining  all 


BENJAMIN  FEANELIN. 


169 


Jfty  j there  were  no  habitations  on  the  road  to  shelter  U8| 
till  we  arrived  near  night  at  the  house  of  a German,  wherOj 
and  in  his  ham,  we  were  all  huddled  together,  as  wet  ai 
water  could  make  us.  It  was  well  we  were  not  attacked  in 
our  march,  for  our  arms  were  of  the  most  ordinary  sort,  and 
our  men  could  not  keep  the  locks  of  their  guns  dry.  The 
Indians  are  dexterous  in  contrivances  for  that  purpose, 
which  we  had  not.  They  met  that  day  the  eleven  poor 
farmers  above  mentioned,  and  killed  ten  of  them.  The  one 
that  escaped  informed  us,  that  his  and  his  companions’  guns 
would  not  go  off,  the  priming  being  wet  with  the  rain. 

The  next  day  being  fair,  we  continued  our  march,  and 
arrived  at  the  desolated  Gnadenhutten.  There  was  a mill 
near,  round  which  were  left  several  pine  boards,  with  which 
we  soon  hutted  ourselves  ; an  operation  the  more  necessary 
&vt  that  inclement  season,  as  we  had%o  tents.  Our  first  work 
was  to  bury  more  effectually  the  dead  we  found  there,  who 
had  been  half  interred  by  the  country  people. 

The  next  morning  our  fort  was  planned  and  marked  out, 
the  circumference  measuring  four  hundred  and  fifty-five 
leet,  which  would  require  as  many  palisades  to  be  made,  one 
with  another,  of  a foot  diameter  each.  Our  axes,  of  which 
we  had  seventy,  were  immediately  set  to  work  to  cut  down 
trees ; and,  our  men  being  dexterous  in  the  use  of  them, 
great  despatch  was  made.  Seeing  the  trees  fall  so  fast,  I 
had  the  curiosity  to  look  at  my  watch  when  two  men  began 
k>  cut  at  a pine ; in  six  minutes  they  had  it  upon  the 
ground,  and  I found  it  of  fourteen  inches  diameter.  Each 
pine  made  three  palisades  of  eighteen  feet  long,  pointed  at 
one  end.  While  these  were  preparing,  our  other  men  dug  a 
trench  all  round,  of  three  feet  deep,  in  which  the  palisades 
were  to  he  planted ; and,  the  bodies  being  taken  off  our 
wagons,  and  the  fore  and  hind  wheels  separated,  by  taking 
ont  the  pin  vhich  united  the  two  parts  of  the  perch,  we  had 


170 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


ten  carriages,  with  two  horses  each,  to  bring  the  palisadei 
from  the  woods  to  the  spot.  When  they  were  sot  up,  our 
carpenters  built  a platform  of  boards  all  round  within,  about 
six  feet  high,  for  the  men  to  stand  on  when  to  fire  through 
the  loop  holes.  We  had  one  swivel  gun,  which  we  mounted 
on  one  of  the  angles,  and  fired  it  as  soon  as  fixed,  to  let  the 
Indians  know,  if  any  were  within  hearing,  that  we  had  such 
pieces ; and  thus  our  fort,  if  that  name  may  be  given  to  so 
miserable  a stockade,  was  finished  in  a week,  though  it 
rained  so  hard  every  other  day,  that  the  men  could  not 
work. 

This  gave  me  occasion  to  obsci  ve,  that,  when  men  are 
employed,  they  are  best  contented ; for  on  the  days  they 
worked  they  were  good-natured  and  cheerful,  and,  with  the 
consciousness  of  having  done  a good  day’s  work,  they  spent 
the  evening  jollily ; but  on  our  idle  days  they  were  muti- 
nous and  quarrelsome,  finding  fault  with  the  pork,  the 
bread,  &c.,  and  were  continually  in  bad  humour,  which  put 
me  in  mind  of  a sea  captain,  whose  rule  it  was  to  keep  his 
men  constantly  at  work  j and  when  his  mate  once  told  him 
that  they  had  done  everything,  and  there  was  nothing 
further  to  employ  them  about;  ‘"Oh!”  said  he,  “make 
them  scour  the  anchor.’* 

This  kind  of  fort,  however  contemptible,  is  a suflicient 
defence  against  Indians,  who  have  no  cannon.  Finding 
ourselves  now  posted  securely,  and  having  a place  to  retreat 
to  on  occasion,  we  ventured  out  in  parties  to  scour  the  ad- 
jacent coimtry.  We  met  with  no  Indians,  but  we  found 
the  places  on  the  neighbouring  hills,  where  they  had  lain  to 
watch  our  proceedings.  There  was  an  art  in  their  contrivance 
of  those  places  that  seems  worth  mentioning.  It  being  winter, 
a fire  was  necessary  for  them  ; but  a common  fire  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground  would  by  its  light  have  discovered  their 
position  at  a distance.  They  had,  therefore,  dug  holes  in 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


171 


the  ground  about  three  feet  in  diameter,  and  somewhat 
deeper ; we  found  where  they  had  with  their  hatchets  cut 
off  the  charcoal  from  the  sides  of  burnt  logs  lying  in  the 
woods.  With  these  coals  they  had  made  small  fires  in  the 
bottom  of  the  holes,  and  we  observed  among  the  weeds  and 
grass  the  prints  of  their  bodies,  made  by  their  lying  all 
round  with  their  legs  hanging  down  in  the  holes  to  keep 
their  feet  warm  j which  with  them  is  an  essential  point. 
This  kind  of  fire  so  managed  could  not  discover  them  either 
by  its  light,  flame,  sparks,  or  even  smoke ; it  appeared  that 
the  number  was  not  great,  and  it  seems  they  saw  we  were 
too  many  to  be  attacked  by  them  with  prospect  of  advan- 

We  had  for  our  chaplain  a zealous  Presbyterian  minister, 
Mr.  Beatty,  who  complained  to  me  that  the  men  did  not 
generally  attend  his  prayers  and  exhortations.  When  they 
enlisted  they  were  promised,  besides  pay  and  provisions,  a 
gill  of  rum  a day,  which  was  puctually  served  out  to  them, 
half  in  the  morning  and  the  other  half  in  the  evening,  and 
I observed  they  were  punctual  in  attending  to  receive  it ; 
upon  which  I said  to  Mr.  Beatty,  It  is  perhaps  below  the 
dignity  of  your  profession  to  act  as  steward  of  the  rum, 
but  if  you  were  only  to  distribute  it  out  after  prayers 
you  would  have  them  all  about  you.”  He  liked  the 
thought,  undertook  the  task,  and,  with  the  help  of  a few 
hands  to  measure  out  the  liquor,  executed  it  to  satis- 
faction, and  never  were  prayers  more  generally  and  more 
punctually  attended.  So  that  I think  this  method  pre- 
ferable to  the  punishment  inflicted  by  some  military  laws 
for  non-attendance  on  divine  service. 

I had  hardly  finished  this  business  and  got  my  fort  well 
stored  with  provisions  when  I received  a letter  from  the 
Gk)vemor,  acquainting  me  that  he  had  called  the  Assembly, 
mnti  wished  my  attendance  there  if  the  posture  of  affairs  on 


172 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


the  frontiers  was  such  that  my  remaining  there  was  n# 
longer  necessary.  My  friends,  too,  of  the  Assembly  press- 
ing me  by  their  letters  to  be,  if  possible,  at  the  meeting, 
and  my  three  intended  forts  being  now  completed  and  the 
inhabitants  contented  to  remain  on  their  farms  under  that 
protection,  I resolved  to  return;  the  more  willingly  as  a 
New  England  officer,  Colonel  Clapham,  experienced  in 
Indian  war,  being  on  a visit  to  our  establishment,  con- 
sented to  accept  the  command,  I gave  him  a commission, 
and,  parading  the  garrison,  had  it  read  before  them,  and 
introduced  him  to  them  as  an  officer  who,  from  his  skill  in 
military  affairs,  was  much  more  fit  to  command  them  than 
myself,  and  giving  them  a little  exhortation,  took  my 
leave.  I was  escorted  as  far  as  Bethlehem,  where  I rested 
a few  days  to  recover  from  the  fatigue  I had  undergone. 
The  first  night,  lying  in  a good  bed,  I could  hardly  sleep, 
it  was  so  different  from  my  hard  lodging  on  the  floor  of  a 
hut  at  Gnadenhutten  with  only  a blanket  or  two. 

While  at  Bethlehem,  I inquired  a little  into  the  prac- 
tices of  the  Moravians ; some  of  them  had  accompanied  me, 
Rnd  all  were  very  kind  to  me.  I found  they  worked  for  a 
common  stock,  ate  at  common  tables,  and  slept  in  common 
dormitories,  great  numbers  together.  In  the  dormitories  I 
observed  loopholes,  at  certain  distances  all  along  just  under 
the  ceiling,  which  I thought  judiciously  placed  for  change 
©f  air.  I went  to  their  church,  where  I was  entertained 
with  good  music,  the  organ  being  accompanied  with  violins, 
hautboys,  flutes,  clarinets,  &c.  I understood  their  sermons 
were  not  usually  preached  to  mixed  congregations  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  as  is  our  common  practice ; but  that 
they  assembled,  sometimes  the  married  men,  at  other  times 
their  wives,  then  the  young  men,  the  young  women,  and 
the  little  children ; each  division  by  itself.  The  sermon  I 
heard  was  to  the  latter,  who  came  in,  and  were  placed  in 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


173 


rowi  <m  benches : the  hoys  under  the  conduct  of  a young 
man,  their  tutor,  and  the  girls  conducted  by  a young 
woman.  The  discourse  seemed  well  adapted  to  their  capa- 
cities, and  was  delivered  in  a pleasing,  familiar  manner, 
coaxing  them,  as  it  were,  to  be  good.  They  behaved  very 
orderly,  but  looked  pale  and  unhealthy  ; which  made  me 
suspect  they  were  kept  too  much  within  doors,  or  not 
allowed  sufficient  exercise. 

I inquired  concerning  the  Moravian  marriages,  whether 
the  report  was  true  that  they  were  by  lot.  I was  told  that 
lots  were  used  only  in  particular  cases;  that  generally 
when  a young  man  found  himself  disposed  to  marry,  he 
informed  the  elders  of  his  class,  who  consulted  the  elder 
ladies  that  governed  the  young  women.  As  these  elders 
of  the  different  sexes  were  well  acquainted  with  the 
tempers  and  dispositions  of  their  respective  pupils,  they 
could  best  judge  what  matches  were  suitable,  and  their 
judgments  were  generally  acquiesced  in.  But  if,  for  example, 
it  should  happen  that  two  or  three  young  women  were 
found  to  be  equally  proper  for  the  yoimg  man,  the  lot  was 
then  recurred  to.  I oh j ected  if  the  matches  are  not  made 
by  the  mutual  choice  of  the  parties,  some  of  them  may 
chance  to  be  very  unhappy.  “And  so  they  may,”  an- 
swered my  informer,  “ if  you  let  the  parties  choose  for 
themselves.”  Which  indeed  I could  not  deny. 

Being  returned  to  Philadelphia,  I found  the  Association 
went  on  with  great  success.  The  inhabitants,  that  were 
not  Quakers,  having  pretty  generally  come  into  it,  formed 
themselves  into  companies,  and  chose  their  captains,  lieu- 
tenants, and  ensigns,  according  to  the  new  law.  Dr.  Bond 
visited  me,  and  gave  me  an  account  of  the  pains  he  had 
taken  to  spread  a general  good  liking  to  the  law,,  and 
ascribed  much  to  those  endeavours.  I had  the  vanity  to 
fiscribe  all  to  my  Dialogue  ; however,  not  knowing  but  that 


174 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


he  might  be  in  the  right,  I let  him  enjoy  his  opinion 
which  I take  to  be  generally  the  best  way  in  such  cases^ 
The  officers,  meeting,  chose  me  to  he  colonel  of  the  regiment, 
which  I this  time  accepted.  I forget  how  many  companies 
we  had,  but  we  paraded  about  twelve  hundred  well-looking 
men,  with  a company  of  artillery,  who  had  been  furnished 
with  six  brass  field-pieces,  which  they  had  become  so  expert 
in  the  use  of,  as  to  fire  twelve  times  in  a minute.  The  first 
time  I reviewed  my  regiment  they  accompanied  me  to  my 
house,  and  would  salute  me  with  some  rounds  fired  before 
my  door,  which  shook  down  and  broke  several  glasses  of  my 
electrical  apparatus.  And  my  new  honour  proved  not  much 
less  brittle ; for  all  our  commissions  were  soon  after  broken, 
by  a repeal  of  the  law  in  England. 

During  this  short  time  of  my  colonelship,  being  about  to 
set  out  on  a journey  to  Virginia,  the  officers  of  my  regiment 
took  it  into  their  heads,  that  it  would  be  proper  for  them 
to  escort  me  out  of  town,  as  far  as  the  Lower  Ferry.  Just  as 
I was  getting  on  horseback,  they  came  to  my  door,  between 
thirty  and  forty,  mounted,  and  all  in  their  uniforms.  I 
had  not  been  previously  acquainted  with  their  project,  or  I 
should  have  prevented  it,  being  naturally  averse  to 
the  assuming  of  state  on  any  occasion ; and  I was  a good 
deal  chagrined  at  their  appearance,  as  I could  not  avoid 
their  accompanying  me.  What  made  it  worse  was,  that,  as 
soon  as  we  began  to  move,  they  drew  their  swords,  and 
rode  with  them  naked  all  the  way.  Somebody  wrote  an 
account  of  this  to  the  Proprietor,  and  it  gave  him  great 
offence.  No  such  honour  had  been  paid  to  him,  when  in 
the  province ; nor  to  any  of  his  governors  ; and  he  said,  it 
was  only  proper  to  princes  of  the  blood  royal ; which  may 
4)0  true  for  aught  I know,  who  was,  and  still  am,  ignorant 
of  the  etiquette  in  such  cases. 

This  silly  affair,  however,  greatly  increased  hia  r^ncouv 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


175 


•gainst  me,  which  was  before  considerable  on  account  of 
my  conduct  in  the  Assembly  respecting  the  exemption  of 
his  estate  from  taxation,  which  I had  always  opposed  very 
warmly,  and  not  without  severe  reflections  on  the  mean- 
ness and  injustice  of  contending  for  it.  He  accused  me  to 
the  ministry,  as  being  the  great  obstacle  to  the  King’s  ser- 
vice, preventing,  by  my  influence  in  the  House,  the  proper 
form  of  the  bills  for  raising  money;  and  he  instanced 
the  parade  with  my  officers,  as  a proof  of  my  having  an 
intention  to  take  the  government  of  the  province  out  of  his 
hands  by  force.  He  also  applied  to  Sir  Everard  Fawkener, 
the  Postmaster-general,  to  deprive  me  of  my  office.  But 
it  had  no  other  effect  than  to  procure  from  Sir  Everard  a 
gentle  admonition. 

Notwithstanding  the  continual  wrangle  between  the 
Governor  and  the  House,  in  which  I as  a member  had  so 
large  a share,  there  still  subsisted  a civil  intercourse 
between  that  gentleman  and  myself,  and  we  never  had  any 
personal  difference.  I have  sometimes  since  thought,  that 
his  little  or  no  resentment  against  me,  for  the  answers  it 
was  known  I drew  up  to  his  messages,  might  be  the  effect 
of  professional  habit,  and  that,  being  bred  a lawyer,  he 
might  consider  us  both  as  merely  advocates  for  contending 
clients  in  a suit ; he  for  the  Proprietaries,  and  I for  the 
Assembly.  He  would  therefore  sometimes  call  in  a friendly 
way  to  advise  with  me  on  difficult  points ; and  sometimes, 
though  not  often,  take  my  advice. 

We  acted  in  concert  to  supply  Braddock’s  army  with 
provisions ; and,  wh^n  the  shocking  news  arrived  of  his 
defeat,  the  Govenor  sent  in  haste  for  me,  to  consult  with 
him  on  measures  for  preventing  the  desertion  of  the  back 
counties.  I forget  now  the  advice  I gave ; but  I think  it 
was,  that  Dunbar  should  be  written  to,  and  prevailed  with| 
if  possible,  to  post  his  troops  on  the  frontiers  for  their 


176 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


protection,  until,  by  reinforcements  from  the  colonies,  ha 
might  be  able  to  proceed  in  the  expedition.  And,  after  my 
return  from  the  frontier,  he  would  have  had  me  undertake 
the  conduct  of  such  an  expedition  with  provincial  troops, 
for  the  reduction  of  Fort  Duquesne,  Dunbar  and  his  men 
being  otherwise  employed ; and  he  proposed  to  commission 
me  as  general.  I had  not  so  good  an  opinion  of  my 
military  abilities  as  he  professed  to  have,  and  I believe  his 
professions  must  have  exceeded  his  real  sentiments;  but 
probably  he  might  think,  that  my  popularity  would 
facilitate  the  business  with  the  men,  and  influence  in  the 
Assembly  the  grant  of  money  to  pay  for  it ; and  that,  per- 
haps without  taxing  the  Proprietary.  Finding  me  not  so 
forward  to  engage  as  he  expected,  the  project  was  dropped; 
and  he  soon  after  left  the  government,  being  superseded  by 
Captain  Denny. 

Before  I proceed  in  relating  the  part  I had  in  public 
affairs  under  this  new  Governor’s  administration,  it  may 
not  be  amiss  to  give  here  some  account  of  the  rise  and  pro- 
gress of  my  philosophical  reputation. 

In  1746,  being  in  Boston,  I met  there  with  a Dr.  Spence, 
who  was  lately  arrived  from  Scotland,  and  showed  me 
some  electric  experiments.  They  were  imperfectly  per- 
formed, as  he  was  not  very  expert;  but,  being  on  a 
subject  quite  new  to  me,  they  equally  surprised  and  pleased 
me.  Soon  after  my  return  to  Philadelphia,  our  library 
company  received  from  Mr.  Peter  Collinson,  Fellow  of  the 
Royal  Society  of  London,  a present  of  a glass  tube,  with 
some  account  of  the  use  of  it  in  making  such  experiments 
I eagerly  seized  the  opportunity  of  repeating  what  I had 
seen  at  Boston;  and,  by  much  practice,  acquired  great 
readiness  in  performing  those  also,  which  we  had  an 
account  of  from  England,  adding  a number  of  new  ones. 
I say  much  practice,  for  my  house  was  oontinually  full, 


BBITJAMIN  FBANKLIN. 


177 


for  some  timO)  with  persons  who  came  to  see  these  new 
wonders. 

To  divide  a little  this  incumbrance  among  my  friends,  I 
caused  a number  of  similar  tubes  to  be  blown  in  our  glass- 
house, with  which  they  furnished  themselves,  so  that  we  had 
at  length  several  performers.  Among  these  the  principal 
was  Mr.  Kinnersley,  an  ingenious  neighbour,  who,  being 
out  of  business,  I encouraged  him  to  undertake  showing  the 
experiments  for  money,  and  drew  up  for  him  two  lectures, 
in  which  the  experiments  were  ranged  in  such  order,  and 
accompanied  with  explanations  in  such  method,  as  that  the 
foregoing  should  assist  in  comprehending  the  following. 
He  procured  an  elegant  apparatus  for  the  purpose,  in  which 
all  the  little  machines  that  I had  roughly  made  for  myself 
were  neatly  formed  by  instrument  makers.  His  lectures 
were  well  attended,  and  gave  great  satisfaction ; and  after 
some  time  he  went  through  the  colonies,  exhibiting  them  in 
every  capital  town,  and  picked  up  some  money.  In  the 
West  India  Islands,  indeed,  it  was  with  difficulty  the 
experiments  could  be  made,  from  the  general  moisture  of 
the  air. 

Obliged  as  we  were  to  Mr.  CoUinson  for  the  present  of 
the  tube,  &c.,  I thought  it  right  he  should  be  informed  of 
our  success  in  using  it^  and  wrote  him  several  letters  con- 
taining accounts  of  our  experiments.  He  got  them  read  in 
the  Eoyal  Society,  where  they  were  not  at  first  thought 
worth  so  much  notice  as  to  be  printed  in  their  Transactions, 
One  paper,  which  I wrote  for  Mr.  Kinnersley,  on  the  same- 
ness of  lightning  with  electricity,  I sent  to  Mr.  Mitchel  an 
acquaintance  of  mine,  and  one  of  the  Members  also  of  that 
Society,  who  wrote  me  word,  that  it  had  been  read,  but  was 
laughed  at  by  the  connoisseurs.  The  papers,  however, 
being  shovm  to  Dr.  Fothergill,  he  thought  them  of  toe 
much  value  to  be  stifled,  and  advised  the  printing  of  theiik.- 


><.X/X 


178 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


Mr.  Colli nson  then  gave  them  to  Cave  for  publication  ia 
his  Gentleman's  Magazine^  but  he  chose  to  print  them 
separately  in  a pamphlet,  and  Dr.  Fothergill  wrote  the 
preface.  Cave,  it  seems,  judged  rightly  for  his  profession, 
for  by  the  additions,  that  arrived  afterwards,  they  swelled 
to  a quarto  volume ; which  has  had  five  editions,  and  cost 
him  nothing  for  copy-money. 

It  was,  however,  some  time  before  those  papers  were 
much  taken  notice  of  in  England.  A copy  of  them 
happening  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Count  de  BufPon,  a 
philosopher.,  deservedly  of  great  reputation  in  France,  and 
indeed  all  over  Europe,  he  prevailed  with  M.  Dubourg  to 
translate  them  into  French ; and  they  were  printed  at 
Paris.  The  publication  offended  the  Abbe  Nollet,  Precep- 
tor in  Natural  Philosophy  to  the  Royal  Family,  and  an 
able  experimenter,  who  had  formed  and  published  a theory 
of  electricity,  which  then  had  the  general  vogue.  He 
could  not  at  first  believe,  that  such  a work  came  from 
America,  and  said  it  must  have  been  fabricated  by  bis 
enemies  at  Paris  to  oppose  his  system.  Afterwards,  having 
been  assured  that  there  really  existed  such  a person  as 
Franklin  at  Philadelphia,  which  he  had  doubted,  he  wrote 
and  published  a volume  of  Letters,  chiefiy  addressed  to  me, 
defending  his  theory,  and  denying  the  verity  of  my  experi- 
ments, and  of  the  positions  deduced  from  them. 

I onoe  purposed  answering  the  Abb6,  and  actually  began 
the  answer;  but,  on  consideration  that  my  writings  con- 
tained a description  of  experiments  which  any  one  might 
repeat  and  verify,  and,  if  not  to  be  verified,  could  not  be 
defended;  or  of  observations  offered  as  conjectures^  and  not 
delivered  dogmatically,  therefore  not  laying  me  under  any 
obligation  to  defend  them ; and  reflecting,  that  a dispute 
between  two  persons,  written  in  different  languages,  might 
be  lengthened  greatly  by  mistranslationi,  and  thence  mia- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


179 


conceptions  of  one  another’s  meaning,  much  of  one  of  the 
Abbe’s  letters  being  founded  on  an  error  in  the  translation, 

I concluded  to  let  my  papers  shift  for  themselves,  believing 
it  was  better  to  spend  what  time  I could  spare  from  public 
business  in  making  new  experiments,  than  in  disputing 
about  those  already  made.  I therefore  never  answered  M. 
NoUet ; and  the  event  gave  me  no  cause  to  repent  my 
silence ; for  my  friend  M.  Le  Roy,  of  the  Royal  Academy 
of  Sciences,  took  up  my  cause  and  refuted  him ; my  book 
was  translated  into  the  Italian,  German,  and  Latin 
languages;  and  the  doctrine- it  contained  was  by  degrees 
generally  adopted  by  the  philosophers  of  Europe,  in  prefer- 
ence to  that  of  the  Abbe ; so  that  he  lived  to  see  himself 
the  last  of  his  sect,  except  Monsieur  B — , of  Paris,  his 
eleve  and  immediate  disciple. 

What  gave  my  book  the  more  sudden  and  general 
celebrity,  was  the  success  of  one  of  its  proposed  experiments, 
made  by  Messieurs  Dalibard  and  De  Lor  at  Marley,  for 
drawing  lightning  from  the  clouds.  This  engaged  the 
public  attention  everywhere.  M.  De  Lor,  who  had  an 
apparatus  for  experimental  philosophy,  and  lectured  in  that 
branch  of  science,  undertook  to  repeat  what  he  called  the 
Philadelphia  Experiments ; and,  after  they  were  performed 
before  the  King  and  court,  all  the  curious  of  Paris  flocked 
to  see  them.  I will  not  swell  this  narrative  with  an 
account  of  that  capital  experiment,  nor  of  the  infinite 
pleasure  I received  in  the  success  of  a similar  one  I made 
soon  after  with  a kite  at  Philadelphia,  as  both  are  to  be 
found  in  the  histories  of  electricity. 

Dr.  Wright,  an  English  physician,  when  at  Paris,  wrote 
to  a friend,  who  was  of  the  Royal  Society,  an  account  of  the 
high  esteem  my  axperiments  were  in  among  the  learned 
abroad,  and  of  their  wonder,  that  my  writings  had  been  m 
little  noticed  in  England-  The  Society  on  this  resumed  tlie 


180 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


consideration  of  the  letters  that  had  been  read  to  them ; and 
the  celebrated  Dr.  Watson  drew  up  a summary  account  of 
them,  and  of  all  I had  afterwards  sent  to  England  on  the 
subject;  which  he  accompanied  with  some  praise  of  the 
writer.  This  summary  was  then  printed  in  their  Tram- 
actions  ; and,  some  members  of  the  Society  in  London,  par- 
ticularly the  very  ingenious  Mr.  Canton,  having  verified  the 
experiment  of  procuring  lightning  from  the  clouds  by  a 
pointed  rod,  and  acquainted  them  with  the  success,  they  soon 
made  me  more  than  amends  for  the  slight  with  which  they 
had  before  treated  me.  Without  my  having  made  any 
application  for  that  honour,  they  chose  me  a member ; and 
voted,  that  I should  be  excused  the  customary  payments, 
which  would  have  amounted  to  twenty-five  guineas  ; and  ever 
aince  have  given  me  their  Transactions  gratis.*  They  also 

• Dr.  Franklin  gives  a further  account  of  his  election,  in  a letter 
to  his  son.  Governor  Franklin,  from  which  the  following  is  an  ex. 
tract ; — 

" London,  19  December,  1767. 

“We  have  had  an  ugly  affair  at  the  Royal  Society  lately.  One 
Dacosta,  a Jew,  who,  as  our  clerk,  was  intrusted  with  collecting  oui 
moneys,  had  been  so  unfaithful  as  to  embezzle  near  thirteen  hun* 
dred  pounds  in  four  years.  Being  one  of  the  Council  this  year,  aa 
well  as  the  last,  I have  been  employed  all  the  last  week  in  attending 
the  inquiry  into,  and  unravelling,  his  accounts,  in  order  to  come  at 
a full  knowledge  of  his  frauds.  His  securities  are  bound  in  one 
thousand  pounds  to  the  Society,  which  they  will  pay,  but  we  shall 
probably  lose  the  rest.  He  had  this  year  received  twenty-six 
admission  payments  of  twenty-five  guineas  each,  which  he  did  not 
bring  to  account. 

“ While  attending  to  this  affair,  I had  an  opportunity  of  looking 
over  the  old  council-books  and  journals  of  the  Society,  and,  having 
a curiosity  to  see  how  I came  in,  of  which  I had  never  been  informed 
I looked  back  for  the  minutes  relating  to  it.  You  must  know,  it  is 
not  usual  to  admit  persons  that  have  not  requested  to  be  admittedi 
and  are  commendatory  certificate  in  favour  of  the  candidate,  signed  by 
at  least  three  of  the  members,  is  by  our  rule  to  be  presented  to  tho 


BENJAMIN  FBANKLIN. 


181 


presented  me  with  the  gold  medal  of  Sir  Godfrey  Copley, 
for  the  year  1763,  the  delivery  of  which  was  accompanied  by 
a very  handsome  speech  of  the  president,  Lord  Macclesfield, 
wherein  I was  highly  honoured. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

OtTK  new  governor,  Captain  Denny,  brought  over  for  me  Ihe 
before-mentioned  medal  from  the  Royal  Society,  which  he 
presented  to  me  at  an  entertainment  given  him  by  the  city. 
He  accompanied  it  with  very  polite  expressions  of  his  esteem 
for  me,  having,  as  he  said,  been  long  acquainted  with  my 
character.  After  dinner,  when  the  company,  as  was  custom- 
ary at  that  time,  were  engaged  in  drinking,  he  took  me  aside 
into  another  room,  and  acquainted  me,  that  he  had  been 
advised  by  his  friends  in  England  to  cultivate  a friendship 
with  me,  as  one  who  was  capable  of  giving  him  the  best  ad- 
vice, and  of  contributing  most  effectually  to  the  making  his 

Society,  expressing  that  he  is  desirous  of  that  honour,  and  is  so  and 
so  qualified.  As  I never  had  asked,  or  expected  the  honour,  I 
was,  as  I said  before,  curious  to  see  how  the  business  was  managed. 
I found  that  the  certificate,  worded  very  .advantageously  for  me,  was 
signed  by  Lord  Macclesfield,  then  President,  Lord  Parker,  and  Lord 
Willoughby ; that  the  election  was  by  a unanimous  vote  : and,  the 
honour  being  voluntarily  conferred  by  the  Society,  unsolicited  by 
me,  it  was  thought  wrong  to  demand  or  receive  the  usual  fees  or 
composition  ; so  that  my  name  was  entered  on  the  list  with  a vote 
of  council,  that  I was  not  to  pay  anything.  And  accordingly  nothing 
has  ever  been  demanded  of  me.  Those  who  are  admitted  in  the 
common  way,  pay  five  guineas  admission  fees,  and  two  guineas  and 
a half  yearly  contributions,  or  twenty-five  guineas  down,  in  lieu  ol 
it  In  my  caae  a substantial  favour  accompanied  the  honour.**— 
W.T.P. 


182 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


administration  easy.  That  he  therefore  desired  of  all  thing! 
to  have  a good  understanding  with  me,  and  he  .begged  me 
to  be  assured  of  his  readiness  on  all  occasions  to  render  me 
every  service  that  might  be  in  his  power.  He  said  much  to 
me  also  of  the  Proprietor’s  good  disposition  towards  the 
province,  and  of  the  advantage  it  would  be  to  us  all,  and  t<r 
me  in  particular,  if  the  opposition  that  had  been  so  long 
continued  to  his  measures  was  dropped,  and  harmony  re- 
stored between  him  and  the  people ; in  effecting  which  it 
was  thought  no  one  could  be  more  serviceable  than  myself  ; 
and  I might  depend  on  adequate  acknowledgments  and 
recompenses.  The  drinkers,  finding  we  did  not  return 
immediately  to  the  table,  sent  us  a decanter  of  Madeira, 
which  the  Governor  made  a liberal  use  of,  and  in  proportion 
became  more  profuse  of  his  solicitations  and  promises. 

My  answers  were  to  this  purpose ; that  my  circumstance^ 
thanks  to  God,  were  such  as  to  make  Proprietary  favours 
unnecessary  to  me ; and  that,  being  a member  of  the 
Assembly,  I could  not  possibly  accept  of  any ; that,  how- 
ever, I had  no  personal  enmity  to  the  Proprietary,  and 
that,  whenever  the  public  measures  he  proposed  should 
appear  to  be  for  the  good  of  the  people,  no  one  would 
espouse  and  forward  them  more  zealously  than  myself ; my 
past  opposition  having  been  founded  on  this,  that  the 
measures  which  had  been  urged  were  evidently  intended  to 
serve  the  Proprietary  interest,  with  great  prejudice  to  that 
of  the  people.  That  I was  much  obliged  to  him  (the 
Governor)  for  his  profession  of  regard  to  me,  and  that  he 
might  rely  on  everything  in  my  power  to  render  his  ad- 
ministration as  easy  to  him  as  possible,  hoping,  at  the  same 
time,  that  he  had  not  brought  with  him  the  same  un- 
fortunate instructions  his  predecessors  had  been  hampered 
with. 

On  this  he  did  not  then  explain  himself ; but  when  ht 


BENJAMIN  FEANKLIN. 


183' 


afterwards  came  to  do  business  with  the  Assembly,  they 
appeared  again,  the  disputes  were  renewed,  and  I was  as 
active  as  ever  in  the  opposition,  being  the  penman,  first  of 
the  request  to  have  a communication  of  the  instructions, 
and  then  of  the  remarks  upon  them,  which  may  be  found  in 
the  Votes  of  the  times,  and  in  the  Historical  Review  I 
afterwards  published.  But  between  us  personally  no 
ennuty  arose ; we  were  often  together ; he  was  a man  of 
letters,  had  seen  much  of  the  world,  and  was  entertaining 
and  pleasing  in  conversation.  He  gave  me  information^ 
that  my  old  friend  Ralph  was  still  alive ; that  he  was  es- 
teemed one  of  the  best  political  writers  in  England  ; had 
been  employed  in  the  dispute  between  Prince  Frederick 
and  the  King,  and  had  obtained  a pension  of  three  hundred 
pounds  a-year  \ that  his  reputation  was  indeed  small  as  a 
poet,  Pope  ha\dng  damned  his  poetry  in  the  Dunciad  ; but 
his  prose  was  thought  as  good  as  any  man’s. 

The  Assembly  finally  finding  the  Proprietary  obstinately 
persisted  in  shackling  the  deputies  with  instructions  incon- 
sistent, not  only  with  the  privileges  of  the  people,  but  with 
the  service  of  the  crown,  resolved  to  petition  the  King 
against  them,  and  appointed  me  their  agent  to  go  over  to 
England,  to  present  and  support  the  petition.  The  House 
had  sent  up  a bill  to  the  Governor,  granting  a sum  of  sixty 
thousand  pounds  for  the  King’s  use,  (ten  thousand  pounds 
of  which  was  subjected  to  the  orders  of  the  then  General, 
Lord  Loudoun,)  which  the  Governor,  m compliance  with 
his  instructions,  absolutely  refused  to  pass. 

I had  agreed  with  Captain  Morris,  of  the  packet  at  New 
York,  for  my  passage,  and  my  stores  were  put  on  board ; 
when  Lord  Loudoun  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  expressly,  as 
he  told  me,  to  endeavour  an  accommodation  between  the 
the  Governor  and  Assembly,  that  His  Majesty’s  service 
might  not  he  obstructed  by  their  dissensions.  Accordingly 


184 


BENJAMIN  PEANKLIN. 


he  desired  the  Governor  and  myself  to  meet  him,  that  he 
might  hear  what  was  to  he  said  on  both  sides.  We  met  and 
discussed  the  business.  In  behalf  of  the  Assembly  I urged 
the  various  arguments  that  may  be  found  in  the  public 
papers  of  that  time,  which  were  of  my  writing,  and  are 
printed  with  the  minutes  of  the  Assembly;  and  the  Gover- 
nor pleaded  his  instructions,  the  bond  he  had  given  to 
observe  tliem,  and  his  ruin  if  he  disobeyed ; yet  seemed  not 
unwilling  to  hazard  himself,  if  Lord  Loudoun  would  adviie 
it.  This  his  Lordship  did  not  choose  to  do,  though  I once 
thought  I had  nearly  prevailed  with  him  to  do  it ; but 
finally  he  rather  chose  to  urge  the  compliance  of  the 
Assembly ; and  he  entreated  me  to  use  my  endeavours  with 
them  for  that  purpose,  declaring  that  he  would  spare  none 
of  the  King’s  troops  for  the  defence  of  our  frontiers,  and 
that,  if  we  did  not  continue  to  provide  for  that  defence 
ourselves,  they  must  remain  exposed  to  the  enemy. 

I acquainted  the  House  with  what  had  passed,  and — pre- 
senting them  with  a set  of  resolutions  I had  drawn  up, 
declaring  our  rights,  that  we  did  not  reliquish  our  claim  to 
those  rights,  but  only  suspended  the  exercise  of  them  on  this 
occasion  through  force,  against  which  we  protested — they  at 
length  agreed  to  drop  that  bill,  and  frame  another  conform- 
able to  the  Proprietary  instructions.  This  of  course  the 
Governor  passed,  and  I was  then  at  liberty  to  proceed  on 
my  voyage.  But  in  the  meantime  the  packet  had  sailed 
with  ray  sea-stores,  which  was  some  loss  to  me,  and  my 
only  recompense  was  his  Lordship’s  thanks  for  my  service ; 
all  the  credit  of  obtaining  the  accommodation  falling  to  his 
share. 

He  set  out  for  New  York  before  me,  and,  as  the  time  for 
despatching  the  packet-boats  was  at  his  disposition,  and 
there  were  two  then  remaining  there,  one  of  which,  he  said, 
was  to  sail  very  soon,  I requested  to  know  the  precise  timi^ 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


m 


that  I might  not  miss  her  by  any  delay  of  mine.  The 
answer  was  i **  I have  given  out  that  she  is  to  sail  on 
Saturday  next,  but  I may  let  you  know,  entre  nous,  that  if 
you  are  there  by  Monday  morning,  you  will  be  in  time,  but 
do  not  delay  longer.”  By  some  accidental  hindrance  at  a 
ferry,  it  was  Monday  noon  before  I arrived,  and  I was  much 
afraid  she  might  have  sailed,  as  the  wind  was  fair ; but  I 
was  soon  made  easy  by  the  information  that  she  was  still  in 
the  harbour,  and  would  not  move  till  the  next  day.  One 
would  imagine  that  I was  now  on  the  very  point  of  de- 
parting  for  Europe.  I thought  so  \ but  I was  not  then  so 
well  acquainted  with  his  Lordship’s  character,  of  which 
indecision  was  one  of  the  strongest  features.  I shall  give 
some  instances.  It  was  about  the  beginning  of  April  that 
I came  to  New  York,  and  I think  it  was  near  the  end  of 
June  before  we  sailed.  There  were  then  two  of  the  packet- 
boats,  which  had  been  long  in  readiness,  but  were  detained 
for  the  General’s  letters,  which  were  always  to  be  ready 
to-morrow , Another  packet  arrived ; she  too  was  detained ; 
and,  before  we  sailed,  a fourth  was  expected.  Ours  was  the 
first  to  be  despatched,  as  having  been  there  longest.  Pas- 
sengers were  engaged  for  all,  and  some  extremely  impatient 
to  be  gone,  and  the  merchants  uneasy  about  their  letters, 
;::nd  for  the  orders  they  had  given  for  insurance  (it  being 
war  time),  and  for  autumnal  goods.  But  their  anxiety 
availed  nothing.  His  Lordship’s  letters  were  not  ready, 
and  yet  whoever  waited  on  him,  found  him  always  at 
his  desk,  pen  in  hand,  and  concluded  he  must  needs  write 
abundantly. 

Going  myself  one  morning  to  pay  my  respects,  I found 
in  his  antechamber  one  Innis,  a messenger  of  Philadelphia, 
who  had  come  thence  express,  with  a packet  from  Governor 
Denny  for  the  General.  He  delivered  to  me  some  letters 
from  my  friends  there,  which  occasioned  my  inquiring 


186 


BENJAMIN  FBANKBIS. 


when  he  was  to  return,  and  where  he  lodged,  that  I might 
send  some  letters  by  him.  He  told  me  he  was  ordered  to 
call  to-morrow  at  nine  for  the  General’s  answer  to  the 
Governor,  and  should  set  eff  immediately.  I put  my  letters 
into  his  hands  the  same  day.  A fortnight  after  I met  him 
again  in  the  same  place.  So,  you  are  soon  returned, 
Innis  ? ” “ Returned ! no,  I am  not  gone  yet.”  “ How 

so  ? ” “I  have  called  here  this  and  every  morning  those 
two  weeks  past  for  his  Lordship’s  letters,  and  they  are  not 
yet  ready.”  Is  it  possible,  when  he  is  so  great  a writer  P 
for  I see  him  constantly _at  his  escritoire.”  “Yes,”  said 
Innis,  “ but  he  is  like  St.  George  on  the  signs,  always  on 
horsehacky  and  never  rides  This  observation  of  the 

messenger  was,  it  seems,  well  founded;  for,  when  in 
England,  I understood  that  Mr.  Pitt,  afterwards  Lord 
Chatham,  gave  it  as  one  reason  for  removing  this  general, 
and  sending  Generals  Amherst  and  Wolfe,  that  the 
minister  never  heard  from  hi/Uy  and  could  not  know  what  he 
was  doing. 

In  this  daily  expectation  of  sailing,  and  all  the  three 
packets  going  down  to  Sandy  Hook,  to  join  the  fleet  there, 
the  passengers  thought  it  best  to  be  on  board,  lest  by  a 
sudden  order  the  ships  should  sail,  and  they  be  left  behind. 
There,  if  I remember,  we  were  about  six  weeks,  consuming 
our  sea-stores,  and  obliged  to  procure  more.  At  length  the 
fleet  sailed,  the  General  and  all  his  army  on  board,  bound  to 
Louisbourg,  with  intent  to  besiege  and  take  that  fortress : 
and  all  the  packet-boats  in  company  were  ordered  to  attend 
the  General’s  ship,  ready  to  receive  his  despatches  when 
they  should  be  ready.  We  were  out  five  days  before  we 
got  a letter  with  leave  to  part,  and  then  our  ship  quitted  the 
fleet  and  steered  for  England.  The  other  two  packets  he 
still  detained,  carried  them  with  him  to  Halifax,  where  he 
stayed  some  time  to  exercise  the  men  in  sham  attacks  upon 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


187 


riiam  forts,  then  altered  his  mind  as  to  besieging  Louis- 
bourg,  and  returned  to  New  York,  with  all  his  troops, 
together  with  the  two  packets  above  mentioned,  and  all 
their  passengers!  During  his  absence  the  French  and 
savages  had  taken  Fort  George,  on  the  frontier  of  that  pro- 
▼ince,  and  the  Indians  had  massacred  many  of  the  garrison 
after  capitulation. 

On  the  whole,  I wondered  much  how  such  a man  came 
to  be  intrusted  with  so  important  a business,  as  the  conduct 
of  a great  army ; but,  having  since  seen  more  of  the  great 
world,  and  the  means  of  obtaining,  and  motives  for  giving, 
places  and  employments,  my  wonder  is  diminished.  General 
Shirley,  on  whom  the  command  of  the  army  devolved  upon 
the  death  of  Braddock,  would,  in  my  opinion,  if  continued 
in  place,  have  made  a much  better  campaign  than  that  of 
Loudoun  in  1756,  which  was  frivolous,  expensive,  and  dis- 
graceful to  our  nation  beyond  conception.  For  though 
Shiidey  was  not  bred  a soldier,  he  was  sensible  and  sagacious 
in  himself,  and  attentive  to  good  advice  from  others, 
capable  of  forming  judicious  plans,  and  quick  and  active  in 
carrying  them  into  execution.  Loudoun,  instead  of  de- 
fending the  colonies  with  his  great  army,  left  them  totally 
exposed,  while  he  paraded  idly  at  Halifax,  by  which  means 
Fort  George  was  lost;  besides,  he  deranged  aU  our 
mercantile  operations,  and  distressed  our  trade,  by  a long 
embargo  on  the  exportation  of  provisions,  on  pretence  of 
keeping  supplies  from  being  obtained  by  the  enemy,  but  in 
reality  for  beating  down  their  price  in  favour  of  the  con- 
tractors, in  whose  profits  it  was  said,  perhaps  from  suspicion 
only,  he  had  a share ; and,  when  at  length  the  embargo  was 
taken  ofE,  neglecting  to  send  notice  of  it  to  Charleston, 
where  the  Carolina  fleet  was  detained  near  three  months,  and 
whereby  their  bottoms  were  so  much  damaged  by  the  worm, 
that  a great  part  of  them  foundered  in  theii  passage  homo* 


188 


BENJAMIN  FBANKXIN. 


Shirley  was,  I believe,  sincerely  glad  of  being  relieved 
from  so  burdensome  a charge,  as  the  conduct  of  an  army 
must  be  to  a man  unacquainted  with  military  business.  I 
was  at  the  entertainment  given  by  the  city  of  New  York  to 
Lord  Loudoun,  on  his  taking  upon  him  the  command. 
Shirley,  though  thereby  superseded,  was  present  also. 
There  was  a great  company  of  officers,  citizens,  and 
strangers,  and,  some  chairs  having  been  borrowed  in  the 
neighbourhood,  there  was  one  among  them  very  low,  which 
fell  to  the  lot  of  ]\Ir.  Shirley.  I sat  by  him,  and  perceiving 
it,  I said,  They  have  given  you  a very  low  seat.”  **  No 
matter,  IMr.  Franklin,”  said  he,  find  a low  seat  the 
easiest.” 

While  I was,  as  before  mentioned,  detained  at  New  York, 
I received  all  the  accounts  of  the  provisions,  &c.,  that  I had 
furnished  to  Braddock,  some  of  which  accounts  could  not 
sooner  be  obtained  from  the  different  persons  I had  employed 
to  assist  in  the  business.  I presented  them  to  Lord  Loudoun, 
desiring  to  be  paid  the  balance.  He  caused  them  to  be 
examined  by  the  proper  officer,  who,  after  comparing  every 
article  with  its  voucher,  certified  them  to  be  right ; and  his 
Lordship  promised  to  give  me  an  order  on  the  paymaster  for 
the  balance  due  to  me.  This  was,  however,  put  off  from 
time  to  time ; and,  though  I called  often  for  it  by  appoint- 
ment, I did  not  get  it.  At  length,  just  before  my  de- 
parture, he  told  me  he  had,  on  better  consideration, 
concluded  not  to  mix  his  accounts  with  those  of  his  prede- 
cessors. “And  you,”  said  he,  “when  in  England,  have 
only  to  exhibit  your  accounts  to  the  treasury,  and  you  wiU 
be  paid  immediately.” 

I mentioned,  but  without  effect,  a great  and  unexpected 
expense  I had  been  put  to  by  being  detained  so  long  at 
New  York,  as  a reason  for  my  desiring  to  be  presently  paid ; 
i&d,  OB  my  observing  that  it  was  not  right  I should  be  pnl 


SEN^aMIH  fbanklih. 


189 


to  any  further  trouble  or  delay  in  obtaining  the  money  I 
had  advanced,  as  I charged  no  commission  for  my  service, 
“ Oh,”  said  he,  “ you  must  not  think  of  persuading  us  that 
you  are  no  gainer ; we  understand  better  those  matters,  and 
know  that  every  one  concerned  in  supplying  the  army  finds 
means,  in  the  doing  it,  to  fill  his  own  pockets.”  I assured 
him  that  was  not  my  case,  and  that  I had  not  pocketed  a 
farthing ; but  he  appeared  clearly  not  to  believe  me ; and, 
indeed,  I afterwards  learned  that  immense  fortunes  are 
often  made  in  such  employments.  As  to  my  balance,  I am 
not  paid  it  to  this  day ; of  which  more  hereafter. 

Our  captain  of  the  packet  boasted  much,  before  we  sailed, 
of  the  swiftness  of  his  ship ; unfortunately,  when  we  came 
to  sea,  she  proved  the  dullest  of  ninety-six  sail,  to  his  no 
small  mortification.  After  many  conjectures  respecting  the 
cause,  when  we  were  near  another  snip,  almost  as  dull  as 
ours,  which,  however,  gained  upon  us,  the  captain  ordered 
all  hands  to  come  aft  and  stand  as  near  the  ensign  staff  as 
possible.  We  were,  passengers  included,  about  forty 
persons.  While  we  stood  there  the  ship  mended  her  pace, 
and  soon  left  her  neighbour  far  behind,  which  proved  clearly 
what  our  captain  suspected,  that  she  was  loaded  too  much  by 
the  head.  The  casks  of  water,  it  seems,  had  been  all  placed 
forward;  these  he  therefore  ordered  to  be  moved  further 
aft,  on  which  the  ship  recovered  her  character,  and  proved 
the  best  sailer  in  the  fleet. 

The  foregoing  fact  I give  for  the  sake  of  the  following 
observation.  It  has  been  remarked,  as  an  imperfection  in 
the  art  of  ship-building,  that  it  can  never  be  known  till  she 
is  tried,  whether  a new  ship  will,  or  will  not,  be  a good 
sailer ; for  that  the  model  of  a good  sailing-ship  has  been 
exactly  followed  in  a new  one,  which  has  been  proved  on  the 
contrary  remarkably  duU.  I apprehend  that  this  may 
partly  be  occasioned  by  the  different  opinions  of  seameo 


190 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


respecting  the  modes  of  loading,  rigging,  and  sailing  of  « 
ship ; each  has  his  method ; and  the  same  vessel,  laden  by 
the  method  and  orders  of  one  captain,  shall  sail  worse  than 
when  by  the  orders  of  another.  Besides,  it  scarce  ever 
happens  that  a ship  is  formed,  fitted  for  the  sea,  and  sailed 
by  the  same  person.  One  man  builds  the  hull,  another  rigs 
her,  a third  loads  and. sails  her.  No  one  of  these  has  the 
advantage  of  knowing  all  the  ideas  and  experience  of  the 
others,  and,  therefore,  cannot  draw  just  conclusions  from  & 
combination  of  the  whole. 

Even  in  the  simple  operation  of  sailing  when  at  sea  I have 
often  observed  different  judgments  in  the  officers  who  com- 
manded the  successive  watches,  the  wind  being  the  same. 
One  would  have  the  sails  trimmed  sharper  or  flatter  than 
another,  so  that  they  seemed  to  have  no  certain  rule  to 
govern  by.  Yet  I think  a set  of  experiments  might  be 
instituted,  first,  to  determine  the  most  proper  form  of  the 
hull  for  swift  sailing ; next,  the  best  dimensions  and  most 
proper  place  for  the  masts ; then  the  form  and  quantity  of 
sails,  and  their  position,  as  the  winds  may  be ; and  lastly^ 
the  disposition  of  the  lading.  This  is  an  age  of  experiments, 
and  I think  a set  accurately  made  and  combined  would  be 
of  great  use. 

We  were  several  times  chased  in  our  passage,  but  out- 
sailed everything ; and  in  thirty  days  had  soundings.  We 
had  a good  observation,  and  the  captain  judged  himself  so 
near  our  port,  Falmouth,  that,  if  we  made  a good  run  in  the 
night,  we  might  be  off  the  mouth  of  that  harbour  in  the 
morning ; and  by  running  in  the  night  might  escape  the 
notice  of  the  enemy’s  privateers,  who  often  cruised  near  the 
entrance  of  the  Channel.  Accordingly  all  the  sail  was  sot 
that  we  could  possibly  Carry,  and  the  wind  being  very  fresh 
an.d  fair,  we  stood  right  before  it,  and  made  great  way. 
The  captain,  after  his  observation,  shaped  his  course,  as 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


191 


fhonght,  00  as  to  pass  wide  of  the  Scilly  Rocks ; but  it 
seems  there  is  sometimes  a strong  current  setting  up  St. 
George’s  Channel,  which  formerly  caused  the  loss  of  Sir 
Cloudesley  Shovel's  squadron,  in  1707.  This  was  probably 
also  the  cause  of  what  happened  to  us. 

We  had  a watchman  placed  in  the  bow,  to  whom  they 
often  called,  Look  well  out  before  there and  he  as  often 
answered  ‘‘  Ay,  Ay  but  perhaps  had  his  eyes  shut,  and 
was'half  asleep  at  the  time  ; they  sometimes  answering,  as 
is  said,  mechanically  : for  he  did  not  see  a light  just  before 
us,  which  had  been  hid  by  the  studding-sails  from  the  man 
at  the  helm,  and  from  the  rest  of  the  watch,  but  by  an  ac- 
cidental yaw  of  the  ship  was  discovered,  and  occasioned 
a great  alarm,  we  being  very  near  it ; the  light  appearing 
to  me  as  large  as  a cart-wheel.  It  was  midnight,  and  our 
captain  fast  asleep ; but  Captain  Kennedy,  jumping  upon 
deck,  and  seeing  the  danger,  ordered  the  ship  to  wear  round, 
aU  sails  standing ; an  operation  dangerous  to  the  masts,  but 
it  carried  us  clear,  and  we  avoided  shipwreck,  for  we  were 
running  fast  on  the  rocks,  on  which  the  light  was  erected. 
This  deliverance  impressed  me  strongly  with  the  utility  of 
lighthouses,  and  made  me  resolve  to  eneourage  the  building 
some  of  them  in  America,  if  I should  live  to  return  thither. 

In  the  morning  it  was  found  by  the  soundings  that  wa 
were  near  our  port,  but  a thick  fog  hid  the  land  from  our 
sight.  About  nine  o’clock  the  fog  began  to  rise,  and 
seemed  to  be  lifted  up  from  the  water  like  the  curtain  of  a 
theatre,  discovering  underneath  the  town  of  Falmouth,  the 
vessels  in  the  harbour,  and  the  fields  that  surround  it. 
This  was  a pleasing  spectacle  to  those,  who  had  been  long 
without  any  other  prospect  than  the  uniform  view  of  a va- 
cant ocean,  and  it  gave  us  the  more  pleasure,  as  we  were 
now  free  from  the  anxieties  which  had  arisen.* 

•la  a letter  irom  J>r,  FTOaklln  to  liJs  wife,  cUtud  nt  Fahacmlbs 


192 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


I set  out  immediately,  with  my  son,  for  London,  and  ws 
only  stopped  a little  by  the  way  to  view  Stonehenge  on 
Salisbury  Plain,  and  Lord  Pembroke’s  house  and  gardens, 
with  the  very  curious  antiquities,  at  Wilton.  We  arrived 
in  London,  the  27th  of  July,  1757. 

the  17th  of  July,  1757,  after  giving  her  a similar  account  of  his 
voyage,  escape,  and  landing,  he  adds;  “ The  bell  ringing  for  church 
we  went  thither  immediately,  and,  with  hearts  full  of  gratitude,  re- 
turned sincere  thanks  to  God  for  the  mercies  we  had  received. 
Were  I a Roman  Catholic,  perhaps  1 should  on  this  occaaion  vow 
to  build  a chapel  to  some  saint ; but  as  I am  noi , if  I were  te  vow 
Ml  all,  it  should  be  to  build  a lighthou8§.”—W.  T.  F. 


